Beneath the Lilac Tree
by archangelBBQ
Summary: "Been there, done that." It's been many years, but Mai and Naru finally meet again. Or has it? Moving forward this time, Naru is determined to change the past, even if he cannot predict how it will shape their future. Together the twins, Mai, and Lin will create SPR from scratch, though things are certain to be much different this time around.
1. Prologue, Part I

Notice/Disclaimer: Obviously I don't own any of Ghost Hunt. I can only take credit for the depictions in this story. Liberties have and will be taken. There are some truths I have tried to keep accurate, but there are other facts I have decided to change. I've tried to make it clear what those differences are.

* * *

**Beneath the Lilac Tree**

[A story of second chances and supernatural love.]

_I think the Naru in my dreams is kind because the real Naru is kind. That's what I've always believed. (Taniyama Mai, vol. 10)_

...

_**Prologue - February 18th, 2011**_

On that day the skies were particularly dull, threatening to rain. It was that in-between time of year, no longer winter but not yet spring. On this day she was particularly late. She'd already missed the first train and was most certainly going to miss the second. First, she couldn't find her keys. Then, it was her wallet.

She sighed loudly as she surveyed her apartment, blowing hair out of her eyes with a frustrated _pftt_. Only seven in the morning, and already today was _not _her day.

After several more minutes of fruitless searching, she gave up on the wallet: she had her train pass and her ID for work. It would have to do. The wallet, wherever it was, could wait.

Glancing at the small clock by the door and pulling on a winter coat, she then grabbed the heeled boots off the mat. After a combination of slips and crams, zips and two buttons, her snugly booted feet were soon running out the door, which she then locked with a quick motion of her hand behind her, even as she moved forward.

When she returned at the end of the day, shaking out her umbrella as she turned the key and opened the door, an immediate blast of cold air blew her hair away from her face. Squinting as she entered the room, she reached forward in the dark to turn on a small lamp, the dim light illuminating the source of the gust. Her window was broken and shards of glass littered the floor. Frowning and immediately alert, she searched the dim room for any oddities. She stopped when she saw her wallet, lying open on the table. Then she heard the distinctive sound of a footstep in her bedroom. She froze at the sound.

There was someone in her apartment.

The man moved almost too quickly for her to act. There was a high-pitched scream and a brief shout, followed by the sounds of a struggle. And then only darkness remained.

...

He had almost dropped the phone when he heard the news, so great was his shock. Ever since he'd awoken that morning he'd had the disquieting feeling that something, somewhere, was _not right_. But nothing—not that feeling, not anything—could have prepared him for the actual truth.

"I thought you should know," the low quiet voice said.

For one of the few moments in his life he was completely speechless. All of his senses focused on the words which had just been delivered. His eyes, unseeing, stared blankly in front of him and an overwhelming noise filled his ears, an ocean of disbelief and anger. In his mind, the unwelcome words repeated themselves, throbbing and echoing, carving their meaning into every part of his existence, refusing him the luxury of denial.

_She passed away this morning. Murdered in her apartment. Defiled after death._

Slowly, his mind cleared and the throbbing fading away. He became aware of the dull sound of quiet through the phone line as well as the man waiting patiently on the other end, waiting silently for him to process the news. The ceiling fan, usually so unobtrusive, now seemed startlingly loud.

"Thank you for telling me," he finally managed.

"We should assist with the memorial," the man said quietly.

"Yes," he agreed, speaking with difficulty. There was a painful lump in his throat.

"But we can discuss that another time." The man sighed. "I'm truly sorry to be the one to tell you this," he said.

"I know." He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry you had to tell anyone."

When he set the phone down the office suddenly seemed much too quiet again. Even the fan, circling above at a lazy pace, was silent.

Dropping his head, he rested his forehead against clasped hands. Rage and despair struggled within him, vying for control. His shoulders trembled and he closed his eyes, trying to calm himself, but visions rose up behind his eyelids, uninvited, from the darkness.

_A tall figure emerges from the shadows, his heart pounding at his unexpected presence. Trying to scream or call for help, but strong hands had covered his mouth, silencing him and closing around his throat to still him._

He opened stinging eyes. Of all things: an intruder, looking for some small sum of cash. Hell, he'd have paid any amount to any lowlife to guarantee her safety. Or kill any man that would touch a hair on her head. But these realizations had come too late.

This was not supposed to happen. She should have been safe. Safe, living an ordinary life.

Lowering his head, he wept.

_**Part I**_

Mai Taniyama opened her eyes.

A brilliant blue sky awaited her gaze. A breeze tickled her nose and her cheeks as well as her ears where tendrils of her hair brushed against the sensitive lobes. The wind made a gentle sound, rustling leaves and muffling the sounds of voices: calling, laughing, chattering. A ladybird beetle landed on the collar of her uniform and meandered toward her ribbon before opening its shell, tiny wings lifting it into the air. Beneath her, the grass was prickly against her bare arms and the back of her knees, as well as her scalp and neck where the dry shoots poked through her hair to tickle the sensitive skin above her collar. Any other day she would have scratched at her jaw or rubbed at her legs to displace the obnoxious tickling. Today, despite it all, she was incredibly comfortable. Her body felt like a heavy stone, permanently attached to the earth.

_This_, she thought leisurely,_ is bliss_. She wanted to close her eyes and drift into sleep, but she wasn't particularly tired and the azure sky had never before seemed quite so tremendously beautiful. She wanted nothing more than to memorize the color and carry the view within her always in case she never had the opportunity to look upon it again. Her eyes slowly began to water as she gazed into the bright sky and hundreds—thousands—_millions _of tiny sparkles swam before her vision in the great expanse.

She began to imagine she was clinging to an upside-down Earth, the sky beneath her and gravity pushing her in the opposite direction. A small smile lifted the edge of her lips as she imagined tumbling off the prickly grass and into the bright sky, falling deep into the inviting blue with nothing to catch her, quietly swallowed forever with only the serene color around her.

The moment ended and her daydream shattered when a high-pitched voice practically screamed, the heavy thump of footsteps running toward her. _"Iwasaki-kun! Be more careful!"_ A shadow fell across her cheeks and her vision of the beautiful sky was blocked as a high-school girl leaned over her, peering anxiously at her face. "Mai-chan! You okay?"

"Michiru...chan?" Mai said slowly, turning the name over in her mind. It had been a long time since she had seen Michiru. What was she doing here?

The girl helped her sit up. With a start, Mai realized she was at her high school. From the looks of it, classes had just ended for the day.

"Iwasaki hit you with the ball," Michiru said, turning and shooting a nasty glare at the boy, who was making a hasty exit from the scene with some friends, clutching a ball in the crook of his arm. Mai watched the interaction with a bemused look on her face. Michiru turned back to Mai, her anger quickly transforming into concern. "I think he hit your head. You fell..." She bit her lip, unsure of how anxious to be. "Do you feel okay? Maybe we should go to the nurse's office."

Mai reached to her head tentatively, fingers brushing through her hair and probing at her scalp. Sure enough, there was a lump, tender and swelling, above her right ear. "I'm okay," she said quickly, though her head began to ache when she touched the sore spot. "I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" Michiru asked dubiously.

"Yeah," Mai grinned—convincingly, she hoped—and shrugged, grabbing her schoolbag and hopping to her feet, hiding an unexpected unsteadiness by brushing off her skirt. "Besides, I gotta get to work! There'll be hell to pay if I'm late."

"You shouldn't have to go after—"

"It's fine," Mai interrupted, smiling brightly. Patting her skirt pockets, she felt reassured as she felt the small weight of her mobile. "I really should go. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"But tomorrow's Saturday—" Michiru called after her hastily retreating form, her voice dropping off. It wasn't that unusual, after all, for Mai to forget what day of the week it was—though it was less likely that she would forget that it was the last day of classes. But the thought didn't linger in Michiru's mind; she knew Mai was more scattered than most and even more so since she had started working at that peculiar psychic research place.

Trotting down the street, Mai's mind was racing. She was wearing her school uniform. It was after school. She was probably headed to SPR.

Fumbling in her pocket, she pulled out her mobile. Flipping it open, she gazed at the screen.

_Friday, July 26th, 2002._

She stopped in her tracks, gazing at the symbols. She never would have forgotten that day. It had been a day she had obsessed over for months and years, wondering if she had done the right thing or made the right choice. If her actions that day had been different, would she be leading a different life or living in a different place? Or did any of her actions make a difference; did they ever?

Of all the days in her life, with the exception of the days that her parents died, she had never once wanted to go back and change anything. She had always been happy with herself and her life. Though she had done some pretty stupid things (or atrocious things and negligent things, careless things and horrid things), she had never _really _thought it would be better to relive something with the opportunity to change her own life for the better. Except for _this_ day. This day in particular, she couldn't help but wonder what she might have done to bring about a different outcome, or if there even _was _a different outcome.

Friday, July 26th. It was the last time she would ever see Naru. Of course he'd frown at that silly nickname she'd given him, but even after all this time she couldn't think of him as anything else: not Shibuya Kazuya and certainly not his English name, Oliver Davis. This day was the official dissolution of the Shibuya Psychic Research office, as its president left the country, never (presumably) to return. If he had, he certainly hadn't ever contacted her to let her know.

Her mouth set in a thin frown, she once more began walking, though her gait was slower and without the confidence of before. _I'm dreaming_, she thought with sudden desperation. But the warmth of heat wafting off the hot pavement onto her bare legs and the hot sun on the top of her head suggested otherwise, as well as the way her nose and palms collected moisture in the humid air. There were the whistles and trills of birds in the bushes, the hum of fans and air conditioners from the buildings mixing with the sounds of pedestrians crossing the street and the cars idling as they waited for the green light. Passing a noodle shop, she could smell hints of curry and miso and a distinctive fishy smell of seaweed mingling with the aromatic rice from the neighboring Indian restaurant. Moving past the bright noise of electronics shops and the perfumed, subdued boutiques next to them, she could smell the yeasty, bready aromas of freshly baked bread as she passed an artisanal Scandinavian bakery. The tall blonde man behind the counter smiled at her when she stared inside and she was tempted to stop and look at the golden wheat rolls and cinnamon buns, glistening with caramel and peppered with candied pecans. She moved forward, giving a small smile and a nod to the gentleman, resolving to return at a later point. Turning her face forward again, she found herself gazing once more at the brilliant sky. There wasn't a cloud to be seen. Passing under some buzzing telephone lines, she watched a flock of scattered pigeons circle up, come together and fly away.

All of it felt much too real to possibly be a dream. Had she ever been aware of so many things at once during a dream?

_But this couldn't possibly be real. I _must _be dreaming. Right? Or was I dreaming before?_

But the longer she walked, the less sure of anything she became.

...

"Eh? Naru's not here?" She frowned. This wasn't what she thought had happened; _would_ happen.

Lin shrugged his shoulders, hefting a large box of books to his chest and carrying it to the door. She had a feeling he was just as perplexed as she and she took a smaller box. Groaning at its weight, she following him outside.

"This _is_ the day the lease expires on the office, right?" Mai asked, trotting quickly to keep up with his longer gait.

The tall man nodded, balancing the box on his knee with one arm and opening the van door with the other. "Technically, the lease expires tomorrow... but yes, it's our last day at the office."

"And he's not even here to help move the last of his files and the books?" Mai stamped her foot, nearly dropping the box as she shifted her weight. "That jerk!"

The corner of Lin's mouth lifted in a tender—but quite controlled—smile. "Perhaps he knew you would come here to help me."

"Well, I have no choice but to help," she grumbled. "I can't make you do this all by yourself."

Lin made a sound that almost sounded like a chuckle. "Don't put yourself out, Taniyama-san. There's not much to do. I'm not in a terrible hurry and I wouldn't want you to feel obligated to do something so banal."

Mai opened her mouth to protest but found no words. Lin gazed at her with warmed eyes, taking the box from her arms and stacking it with the others in the van. "Go home, Taniyama-san," he said kindly. "There's no reason for you to spend your afternoon here."

She stood, meeting his eyes with her chin lifted, studying the man. It was just the same Lin-san as she remembered: solemn eyes set in stern features that on first glance appeared cold, but when she looked long enough, or hard enough, she could see their kindness. It was a face that had probably never fully trusted her and honestly had probably never warmed much to her, but she had always thought of him kindly and had probably never said anything to indicate the fact. She suddenly threw her arms around him in an embrace. "I will miss you, Lin-san," she said quietly. "Please take care of yourself."

He seemed bemused by her actions but slowly returned the hug awkwardly. "The same goes for you."

Mai seemed to spring out of his arms as quickly as she had entered them; embarrassed for such a display of affection on a public street. Clasping her hands together, she bowed slightly, formally. "Good bye; have safe travels."

"I'm sure we'll see each other again," Lin said gently, returning the bow. "Until that time."

Mai, hurrying away, lowered her gaze to the ground. _No_, she thought, _we probably won't._

...

She did not want to return to her apartment. Instead she began to walk, meandering down streets and alleyways, eyes wide and grasping at details in her environment as she tried to shake the feeling that she was in a strange and elaborate dream. After some time she returned to the bakery she had passed on her route from the school to the office. The scent and taste of the muffin she bought, soothing the first pangs of hunger, was enough to establish reality.

She went to the nearest station and boarded a train, heading for a quiet residential neighborhood. She found herself making her way toward the small cemetery that housed the graves of her parents. The side street was quiet and empty, save for two cats that sat lazily beneath the hedges. They watched her as she passed, and she, watching them, hoped they would do something other than stare. They did not.

Upon entering the cemetery she quickly and quietly walked the familiar route and then knelt on the smooth stones in front of the two Taniyama headstones. It was a small plot that had originally only housed Taniyama Saneyoshi and Etsuko, her father's parents, whom she had never met. She remembered visiting with her parents before their own names had been added alongside the two, and then later, with only one of her parents as the second stone was placed. She remembered staring at the red painted name of her mother next to the white carved name of her father. The sound of her mother's quiet sobs and the smell of incense.

Clasping her hands in front of her, she closed her eyes and began to think about her parents, wondering what they would tell her if they were sitting before her, what advice they may possibly offer for her troubled mind. She couldn't picture their faces clearly, so she closed her eyes tighter.

It was dusk when she opened her eyes. She was no longer sitting but lying on her side. She sat up quickly and scanned the area around her, but the cemetery was just as deserted as it had been upon her arrival. Regretfully, she stood, brushing off her uniform and made her way back toward the street. The answers and comfort she had hoped to find at the site had eluded her, as it had many times before.

The cats were gone. She considered looking for them behind the hedge, but a yawn filled her features and she decided against it. Her phone jingled merrily in her pocket, startling some nesting birds in the trees, and she answered it cautiously.

"Mai." Somehow, his flat voice sounded troubled. "Where are you?"

Startled, she described her location, the neighborhood and the closest train station. "The station's nearby," she offered. "I can walk there, or if you want I can take the train—"

"No, just go to the station. I'll meet you there," he said curtly. "I'll come by and pick you up. I should be able to get there in..." he paused and she could almost hear him calculating the route in his mind. "Ten minutes."

Then he hung up. Hearing the disconnection, she pulled the phone from her ear and stared at it. When he hadn't been at the office she had assumed that she would never see him again. Knowing now that they would indeed meet again was a pleasant surprise—she _was_ pleased, wasn't she? It was difficult to sort her own emotions; she was still slightly disoriented from dozing off in the cemetery and she was incredibly confused at the entire situation of the day's events. Why couldn't she shake the feeling that this was not what was supposed to happen? Continuing down the street, she began to wonder, again, exactly what was going on.

...

She had only just arrived at the station and sat down at a lighted bench when the car pulled up and stopped at the curb. The door opened and he stood, his thin frame accentuated by the dark clothing he wore. His arms were long and thin but well toned, she noticed, hanging bare at his sides underneath a black t-shirt. It took her a moment first to realize exactly who it was she was staring at, and then that he had gotten up from the driver's—not the passenger—side. She stood as well, but her feet seemed glued to the pavement and she did not approach him.

How long had it been since she'd seen him? It seemed as if it had been years but in the back of her mind she knew it had only been a week ago that he had announced the closure of the office, delivering the words in his usual, unemotional manner. Tonight, in the evening light, she had the feeling that this was a different person, even though he looked quite the same. His dark tousled hair covered his forehead and those impossibly dark blue eyes searching for her own, when finding them, seemed to soften.

"Mai," he said as he walked toward her briskly and she was certain it was relief she heard in his voice. She had forgotten how tall and slim he was, she thought as he approached. Somehow he seemed taller than she recalled, though she knew it wasn't so. She couldn't remember ever seeing him in such casual clothing, though the consistent black was customary and familiar to her eyes.

"Naru?" Finally able to move, she walked forward and met him at the sidewalk. "Why are you here?"

He hesitated. "There is a place I'd like to take you. Will you come with me?"

"Of course," she said simply. Her confusion was obvious, her large eyes searching his face with unsaid questions, though her complete trust in him was just as apparent.

"Do you want to return to your apartment? You're still in your uniform," he noted, opening the passenger side door for her to sit.

"Um, ye-eah, I suppose so," she started, but as he sat down next to her she panicked. "Wait," she protested, "when did you get your Japanese driver's license?"

He turned to her, unfazed as he started the car. "This morning, actually," he said, coolly. "But I've been driving for a long time. It wasn't difficult."

"But you're leaving the country tomorrow!" Mai sputtered.

"Yes," he agreed, looking over his shoulder, his arm propped against the back of her seat as he backed the vehicle up smoothly. A clean scent—a combination of earthy and spicy—wafted toward her as he moved. "So?"

"But..." She frowned at him, confused. "But you're _leaving the country tomorrow_."

He shrugged slightly, changing the gear and the car drove forward quietly. "I got my license so I could drive today, Mai. Is that explanation unsatisfactory? If you'd rather I can make something up."

"N-no, but..." She looked first at her hands and then forward to the street, finally turning her sight back toward him. "It doesn't make sense. I don't understand why you, of all people, would do something so irrational."

Naru smiled wanly, eyes gazing forward and dark in the shadowed car. She found herself staring at him, tracing even the smallest detail with her eyes, watching his mouth form the words. "No, it really doesn't make any sense at all, does it."

...

"Take your time," he told her when they arrived at her apartment.

"What should I wear?" She asked dubiously.

He shrugged as he looked away, resting his chin against his hand and his elbow against the window. "Anything you're comfortable in."

When she returned she had traded her uniform for a skirt and a t-shirt, a light sweatshirt draped over her arm. As the remaining light faded from the sky and the street lights began to flicker on, the breeze turned refreshingly cooler, alleviating the humidity and hinting at a cool night.

He was silent as she returned to the car, but he spoke as he drove down the street. "I don't suppose you ate dinner?"

"Was I supposed to?" Her tone had the hint of a rising defensive.

The same wan smile was spreading on his lips. "Not at all," he said. "I just thought I'd ask. Anything in particular you'd like to eat?"

Caught off guard, she paused. "I'm not really hungry yet," she admitted.

He nodded and said nothing. Soon they had left the city streets for the expressway, heading southwest. Her eyelids drooping, she felt the twinges of curiosity, wondering where they might be headed, but the sheer absurdity of the situation and her exhaustion prevented her from dwelling on the fact. Nestling her head into the side of the seat, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

...

The dull roar of the continuous driving reached her in her slumber, slowly bringing her back to the waking realm. She opened her eyes slowly, otherwise remaining motionless in her comfortable position. For several moments she was utterly disoriented before the thoughts formulated themselves in quick succession. After school, going to the office and then the cemetery. Naru picking her up at the station, and then..?

It was dark; the only light in the car came from the partially illuminated dashboard. She looked to the driver, eyes searching for his features without success until an approaching car from the other side of the highway brought just enough light for her to see his face. The luminosity lasted only a moment but it was enough for her to see that he seemed different to her eyes. The calm and neutral expression was familiar, though somehow, there was something about him that seemed wiser, more mature. _Older._

Her eyes began to adjust to the darkness and she could see the darker outlines of the trees against a dark greyish-purple sky. As the car sped forward she saw the golden lights of a town, nestled in a valley. As slowly as the town had emerged it once more disappeared behind the trees.

"Where are we?" Mai sat up slightly, realizing that since she had fallen asleep her seat had changed from upright to reclining. Had he done that?

"About thirty kilometers from Okazaki." He paused, considering his statement. "Maybe a little less. We passed Chobi Lake about ten minutes ago."

"Okazaki?" She said, startled. When was the last time had she been so far from Tokyo? The thought lasted only a moment in her mind. Of course, she had just returned last week to Tokyo from SPR's final case. "How long have I been asleep?"

Naru glanced at the clock before answering. "Almost three hours."

Mai flushed with embarrassment. "I'm sorry. You should have woken me."

He shrugged. "You needn't apologize. You seemed tired." He turned his head toward her, his eyes dark in the dim light. "Shall we stop for something to eat? We're nearly to Toyokawa."

"S-sure," she started. She groped in the darkness for the lever to raise her seat to normal. To her surprise, he reached toward her in assistance, slowly releasing the mechanism. "Thanks," she mumbled.

"There's water in the back, if you're thirsty. Behind the seat."

She reached behind her and brought forward a water bottle, popping the lid open and taking a drink. She sat quietly, watching the lines in the road. "Um," she started cautiously. "So... where are we going?"

"Ah." He looked as if he hadn't realized she wasn't yet aware of the fact. "Tsuruga," he said, and her mouth dropped open in surprise.

"But why?"

Naru remained silent for several moments before finally speaking. "I remembered you telling Matsuzaki-san once that you had gone there with your parents, and you expressed a desire to return. I thought now would be a good time."

"But it's—it's so far," she protested.

"About 475 kilometers. A six hour drive," he supplied. "But we're more than half way." He glanced at the clock on the dashboard again. "Luckily there wasn't slow traffic out of Tokyo, and with any luck there won't be much around Nagoya, either. We've made good time."

Mai averted her eyes. "Tsuruga is where I was born," she admitted quietly. "And where my mother grew up. I don't recall ever living there, just that... just that one visit, when both my parents were alive."

His eyes flicked toward her briefly before returning to the road but he said nothing in return. In the silence that followed, he turned off the expressway and onto a highway and then after that a smaller road.

"Anywhere you'd like to stop is fine." Naru said curtly, turning down a well-lighted street. The small shops and restaurants were open; some more busy than others. Mai thought she detected the aroma of tempura and yakitori. Her mouth began to water at the thought.

"That place looks nice," Mai ventured, pointing to an approaching udon shop. "I mean, if you think so. Do you like udon in the summer, Naru?" She found a blush rising to her cheeks, embarrassed that she might have assumed something erroneously. She couldn't remember him eating udon before, hot or cold. Honestly, despite all the cases they'd been on together, she hadn't seen him eat that often.

He nodded but remained silent, parking the car in front of the place. He turned toward her and once again she found herself held his dark eyes, so dark in the dim light they were almost black. "Shall we?"

"Su-sure," she agreed, and stepping out into the cool evening, they walked together toward the restaurant.

...

The establishment was relatively quiet but the atmosphere was warm and Mai was glad they had stopped. The woman that greeted them led them to a table, pouring two cups of tea as they were seated. "Good evening, would you like something to drink?"

"Tea, please," Naru and Mai said simultaneously, a somewhat amused look entering his eyes and a flush once again rising to her cheeks. They ordered their meals quickly: "One zaru udon, please," Naru had said, and for Mai: "The kijoyu udon if you please."

"Of course." The woman took the menus and hurried away.

Mai held the teacup with both hands, sipping quietly while Naru held the handle-less cup with one hand, leaning casually against his other arm. He looked like a model, she thought. Or was it because she felt like she hadn't seen him in such a long time and had forgotten how good-looking he was? He had always been handsome, of course, and well aware of it. But some of the arrogance wasn't so plain on his face, which she thought made him doubly attractive. Realizing she'd been watching him out of the corner of her eye, she quickly turned her gaze away. It was very quiet between them, she thought, especially seated in the tranquil restaurant. Naru gazed at his teacup as if contemplating the object and Mai found that since turning her gaze from him she'd been staring deliberately at the table. Raising her eyes to him, however, she could see that he was not uncomfortable in the lack of conversation. She almost felt guilty to speak and break the stillness, but the question was burning inside her and insisted to be released.

"What do we do when we get there? To Tsuruga?"

Naru looked up, lowering his tea as he met her gaze. "I suppose a hotel for the night," he said calmly. "We'll probably arrive a little before midnight. If there was any place in particular you wanted to go, we'll do it tomorrow."

"But..." she pursed her lips, remembering something. "I thought your flight back to England was tomorrow."

"Tomorrow's my last day in Japan, but the flight has been rescheduled for Sunday." A gentle rise of his shoulders revealed nonchalance beneath his customary mask of composure. "Lin was quite baffled that I suddenly needed to take this trip, considering..." he sighed slightly, rubbing the space between his eyes with his fingers. "With Gene's funeral close at hand," he finished.

The words hit Mai like a blow and she looked away. _Gene_. How could she have forgotten about him? The whole time she had been thinking about the fact that she was with Naru—seeing him again after what seemed like an eternity. She had completely overlooked the fact that he had just found his brother's body—now that his only reason for coming to this country was completed his return to England was inevitable.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "Really... I am so sorry."

"Don't be." He sighed again and lifted his tea. "It's been a long time."

The woman returned with their meals. Mai was grateful for the interruption, not knowing what to say to him. Instead she examined the food as it was presented: both meals were very attractive. Naru's zaru udon was resting on the traditional bamboo tray with dipping sauces and garnishes on the side; Mai's kijoyu udon was served more plainly in a bowl with thinly sliced green onions and grated ginger. Both, of course, were served cold, as was traditional in the summer.

"It's been a long time since I've had cold udon," Naru remarked, eyebrows lifted in amusement as he picked up his chopsticks. Mai nodded in agreement. In fact, it seemed like it had just been winter a few days ago. Hadn't she just gone out for curry udon with Kuwata-san, the new intern at work? She shook her head to herself, _that couldn't have happened._ They ate in silence until Mai spoke again.

"Did you tell Lin-san where you were going? Or..." Her voice trailed off, suddenly uncomfortable with her inquiry. _Or that you were going with me_, she wanted to add. He seemed to understand her unspoken question.

"No, nor did I tell him that I was taking you." He shrugged slightly. "It seemed to me an unnecessary complication."

"You mean you didn't want him asking questions." Mai said pointedly.

Naru smiled slightly. "Perhaps so." He nodded a silent thank-you to the woman as she appeared silently, refilling their teacups unobtrusively. "I don't know if he could understand even if I tried to explain it to him."

...

They left the town and returned to the expressway, the car once again speeding westward in the night. Naru seemed satisfied to drive in silence and Mai found that she was content to gaze at the passing scenery. After some time he seemed assured that she wasn't going to nap again and turned on some music. Debussy: she recognized it from the _Nodame Cantabile _drama reruns she's seen a few weeks ago.

It didn't seem to take long for them to pass the turn for Okazaki, and after that they were heading north, bypassing the center of Nagoya. At some point they had left the Tomei Expressway for the for the Meishin Expressway, and then they were heading almost due east, the city lights dimming behind them as they drove toward the mountains. The road turned north again when they merged onto the Hokunku Expressway. The signs for Biwa Lake and Nagahama came and went. After that, the road curved into the mountains and Mai gazed at the sky. She was able to see bright stars as the residual light from the cities slowly disappeared. The open stretch before Okazaki hadn't even been this empty. The road, as well, was much quieter than before. There were few cars traveling it at that time of night and thus the oncoming headlights were few and far between.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Naru stretching his arms forward against the steering wheel. The car entered a short tunnel, the sound around them changing as they entered and then exited the enclosed space. They were approaching a small town but it seemed to slip behind them just as quickly. A small sign offered the distance to their destination. _Tsuruga: 10 km_.

"I suppose we're almost there, huh." She said quietly, breaking the long—though still quite comfortable—silence.

"Yes," he agreed, and it startled her to hear the weariness unmasked in his voice.

The road turned out of the mountains and into the valley almost immediately, the city before them. Naru seemed to know exactly where he was going, steering the car from the highway to the city's main road. Two more turns on two different streets and he stopped the car in front of a hotel.

"You won't mind staying here?" He asked quietly, shutting off the engine.

"No," she started, and her cheeks turned pink as she realized the implications of staying in a hotel with Naru. Together and alone. Strangely, the thought didn't stay with her for long and she had all but forgotten the immediate embarrassment as she stepped out of the car.

They went inside and Naru went to the desk where a young man sat bored, playing solitaire on the computer. He looked up quickly as they approached, closing the game and opening the hotel register. "Good evening. How may I help you? Room for two?" The man asked.

"Two rooms for one, please." Naru corrected.

The man scrolled through the register, frowning. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "We actually only have one room available tonight. He glanced at them, obviously curious to why two teenagers coming to the hotel so late at night would request two rooms. Still, the man was polite and accommodating. "There are, however, two beds in this available room."

"That will suffice," Naru said calmly.

They didn't wait long for the arrangements to be fulfilled. Naru led the way to the room, opening the door with the key card and turning on the lights as he stepped inside. Mai followed him, surprised at herself that despite her initial reaction, staying in the same room as Naru didn't seem peculiar or embarrassing any more.

The room was small but clean. Mai sat down on the far bed, testing the firmness of the mattress. Naru bent to take off his shoes and then took the car keys from his pocket, setting them on the table.

Mai following suit by removing her own shoes, then rose and crossed the room. "I didn't bring a change of clothes," she admitted, knowing even as she said it that he had not, either. The only thing in the car besides their persons had been the water he had brought. She opened the closet. "Oh, but they have yukata. That's nice, huh..." She took one for herself and took the other, holding it out for him. "Do you want it?"

He nodded and took it from her wordlessly. "I'm going to shower before I sleep," he said. "Why don't you use the washroom first."

"Okay," she agreed, wondering for a moment if his terse manner stemmed from embarrassment. As she brushed her teeth, she dismissed the thought. Couldn't be, could it?

When she had finished and returned to the main room he was sitting on the second bed, patiently waiting. He rose to his feet and paused, standing in the door. "Good night, Mai." A small smile crossed his lips. "Rest well."

"Good night, Naru," she said gently, returning his smile sleepily.

When the door to the bathroom had closed and the steady sound of water flowing from the faucet reached her ears, she undressed and put on the yukata. The room was silent save for the faint sound of rushing water. Within minutes, she was stretched out on the clean bed and moments after that she was fast asleep.

When he stepped out of the bathroom not long after he was wearing a matching yukata, his clothes folded neatly and held under his arm. He paused when he saw her curled form on the bed, all but her head obscured under the sheet. She had left the small lamp on the table between their beds on but was in a deep slumber despite the soft glow on her face. He had seen her asleep countless times before, but seeing her again in such a relaxed position—and after so long—was a comforting sight. His own gaze relaxed as he mimicked her actions, laying down on his own bed, pulling the sheet over his body and drifting into deep sleep.

...

She awoke with the early light, covering her eyes with her arm and turning away from the window. After several moments denying the fact that it was morning, she acquiesced to the truth and sat up, stretching.

The other bed was empty. It didn't surprise her that he had left, nor that she hadn't woken when he had. There was a note on the table: _I should be back by 7:00_, he had written in his familiar, messy handwriting. She turned her head to the clock. It was 6:30.

There was a short, polite rap on the door before she heard it click open with the key. Having showered and dressed as soon as she had risen, she had been standing near the window and watching the street. When she turned toward the door, Naru stepped inside, holding a small bag from a convenience store.

"Good morning," he said pleasantly and she repeated the greeting. Noticing her curiosity, he lifted the bag and offered it toward her. "It's not much, just some onigiri. I remembered you often liked to have them for breakfast on our cases. I wasn't sure what else to get you, so there's some juice and an apple." He frowned. "They did not have any acceptable tea. I couldn't bring myself to bring it up from the lobby. To offer it to you would have been an insult."

She giggled and felt a small blush rise to her cheeks, touched by his consideration. "Thank you. So, um... what now?"

He shrugged slightly. "Anywhere you'd like to go?"

Mai tilted her head as she thought, avoiding his gaze by directing her own out the window. Finally, she spoke. "Let's go to the bay. Maybe.. maybe we'll see some boats coming in."

...

They drove north on the eastern side of Tsuruga Bay, leaving the city almost as quickly as they had arrived the night before. They passed through small towns on the water and Mai made mental notes of several shrines but made no indication for him to stop. She alternated between looking out at the bay, over the rocky shoreline they drove along, and up toward the forest that covered the mountainsides.

They passed a beach and the road began to rise, following the steep cliffs and Naru turned the car off onto a stopping point. They both exited the car, standing at the rail and gazing toward the sea. There was a stiff breeze, cool off the ocean, but it was comfortable in the morning sunlight.

"It's beautiful," she murmured. He nodded in agreement but remained silent. She pursed her lips. Tearing her eyes away from the scene, she looked toward him sharply. "Why are we here, Naru?" Mai suddenly asked quietly, as if the strangeness of the entire situation had only just occurred to her.

Naru shrugged, his gaze firm on the ocean, hands hidden in his pockets. "You said you wanted to come here, didn't you? And I wanted to take you. Isn't that a good enough answer?"

"I know, but... It doesn't make any _sense_." She directed her gaze back at the water, eyes trailing a fishing boat that was coming in toward the port. "This... this didn't happen before," she muttered. At this she began to blush, the words sounding absurd to her ears.

"No," Naru agreed. She nearly jumped at his quiet voice. "It didn't."

She remained silent for several moments, her eyes fixed on the opposite shore of the bay. Everything seemed so lush and bright, from the brilliant blue sky and the sparkling water to the greenery along the bay. "I guess," she started again, quietly, "I don't understand why you brought me here, Naru. Why... why you would do such a thing."

He spoke without hesitation. "I wanted to see you again after all this time." He paused. "If I hadn't remembered that conversation between you and Matsuzaki-san, we wouldn't have come to Tsuruga, but we'd have gone somewhere else. I did," he paused again, ever so slightly, "want to take you somewhere you wanted to go."

She frowned slightly, turning her head cautiously toward him but his gaze eluded hers.

"I suppose I thought, perhaps," he said, a small melancholy smile forming on his lips, "that we never really talked enough. That perhaps this time we could talk about what has happened since we've last met." When she gave him a confused stare he continued, slowly. "You know, what twists and turns our—your—life has taken since I closed SPR and returned to England."

"What are you saying?" She blurted. "It's... it's only been..."

He turned his head, then, his deep blue eyes connecting with hers in a piercing gaze. "You probably think it was a dream. It wasn't." She turned her head away, unable to look at him as he continued. A twist of anxiety formed in her stomach; knowing instinctively he was right but fearing that truth. "I'm sure you remember," he said, his calm voice utterly serious. "What originally happened yesterday, when you came to the office after school. What our parting was."

She winced slightly. Of course she remembered. But it hadn't actually happened—right? "I.. I don't know what you're talking about."

He paused, regarding her. "How old are you?" He asked curtly.

"Twent—" she stopped and paused, thinking it over. "Seventeen. I turned seventeen at the beginning of the month." She decided.

"That's not what you were going to say," he corrected. "You were going to say twenty-five."

Her frown deepened. "But I'm not."

"Technically, I suppose not. You were born in 1985, and it is only 2002." He smirked slightly. "But that's beside the point, I suppose. Who is the Prime Minister?"

"Kan Naoto.." She hesitated for a moment and corrected herself. "No, it's still Koizumi. Right?"

"That's right," he nodded. "Do you know who Barack Obama is? And what about the protests in Egypt?"

"Obama is the president of the United States," she supplied quickly. Even she knew enough about international affairs to know _that _one. "And the revolution in Egypt just overthrew Mubarak's regime. He just resigned a few days ago."

"Not yet," his smirk widened, as if he had found the proof he was looking for. "First of all, you wouldn't recognize the name of Obama, not yet. He isn't going to be elected for at least another six years. And the fact that you knew about the civil resistance in Egypt proves to me that you remember. So why won't you admit it? You're just as stubborn as you used to be, Mai."

"But you said it yourself. It's only 2002," she said, her frustration beginning to build.

"Yes," he agreed again, "that I won't dispute. I'm just trying to have you agree that it's been more than a week since we've met."

"Okay, I'll admit it." She said, throwing her hands in the air in a futile gesture. "I got hit in the head yesterday after school and I have been _really_ confused about basically _everything_ that's happened since. I _had_ thought that maybe... maybe..."

"This had all happened before," Naru supplied. "That years had passed since this moment. Just not in this manner."

"But that doesn't make any sense!" She exploded. "How could I... how is it possible..." Her voice trailed off.

_When you say that, are you thinking of me, or Gene?_

Mai closed her eyes, remembering their conversation in the forest. It must have only been last week that they'd returned from the campsite, only last week that he'd found the body of his brother in the depths of the lake. And yet it seemed like it had been ages and ages ago.

_I can't take this photo, Naru._

_You might as well._ He'd turned away from her when he said it, she remembered distinctly. _I'm sure you'd like something to remember him by._

_But Naru_— She remembered the feeling she had, struggling and unable to find the words to express herself clearly. _It's not... it's not your brother that I... that I... it's_—

He'd cut her off before she'd been able to say any more. _You've obviously confused me, Mai. It is him, and not me, that you have feelings for. Don't encourage yourself. Even if you see him again, he's still dead. _And he'd walked away.

Why did that memory carry so much pain, if it hadn't happened? Tears formed in her eyes against her will and she brushed them away before they had the chance to slip onto her cheeks. She hadn't cried about that moment in years; she wasn't going to start now.

"I'm sorry," Naru said quietly. "It was a terrible thing of me to say. I wasn't... At the time I wasn't disposed to deal with such a thing. Your.. confession."

It was discomforting that he knew exactly what she was thinking. "Why am I here?" She asked weakly.

He was gazing at her solemnly. "You don't remember, do you?" He studied her intently, her features taking on a quizzical look. "Maybe that's for the best," he finally said, exhaling as he looked away, dropping his scrutiny.

"Remember what? Naru?"

He didn't answer her at first and he was purposefully avoiding her gaze. "Not now," he finally said softly, sighing. "I'm sure you'll remember eventually. I couldn't remember everything at first when I first arrived, either. It may take you longer, considering the circumstances."

"Arrived..." she repeated quietly.

He turned back toward the car and not knowing what else to do, she followed him.

...

"Let's stop there," Mai said, pointing toward the gate to a shrine near the side of the road. She had noticed it the first time they had driven by, though the second time she wanted to stop for a visit as soon as she saw it. "It looks… I dunno. It feels like I haven't been to a small shrine like this in ages."

They hadn't spoken any more of the earlier topic, though their conversation _had_ continued. As the car crested a particular rise that gave them an excellent view of the bay and the city of Tsuruga at its mouth, Naru had asked Mai what she had done in the city when she visited with her parents. As she began to tell him, he supplied questions and comments until the thought suddenly struck her that they were conversing like normal people—something she wasn't sure they had ever done before. Surprisingly, Mai didn't dwell on the fact that he was more easy-going and loquacious. She certainly couldn't recall him ever asking so many questions that were not directed at a client, and it was just as unfamiliar to hear him speak so much on trivial matters. Of course she had heard him speak extensively on various subjects—whether it was explaining the differences in perceptions of ghosts in Japan versus the West (that particular explanation seemed the most fresh in her mind) or something of a different psychic or paranormal nature—but to have a normal, everyday conversation was both surprising and pleased her.

He parked the car at the side of the road and she stepped outside, listening to the hum of the cicadas in the trees. The sun was higher and hotter now. Her sweatshirt had been discarded in the back seat of the car some time ago and it felt good to step into the shade. Together they walked up the stone steps beneath the trees, and passing under the second gate they were unable to see or hear the road.

The grounds were well-maintained but otherwise silent save for their footsteps and the sounds that surrounded the site: birds and squirrels in the trees; insects and the wind rustling the leaves. They stopped at the small fountain, Naru waiting as Mai rinsed her hands and then her mouth with the small ladle, but did not take part in the custom himself. Approaching the shrine, he stayed a respective distance from her as she dug in her pocket for a coin and tossed it into the offering box. She bowed and then clapped twice, and bowed again. Her nose almost touching her index fingers, she lowered her head slightly, eyes closed tightly as she prayed into her closed hands.

When she had finished, Naru was standing even further away, his back to her and his head tipped back as he gazed up at the trees. The dappled sunlight danced on the stones, forming intricate patterns that shifted as soon as they took shape. He looked toward her, eyes meeting hers as if to ask _Shall we go?_ She nodded and they passed once more underneath the gate, walking down the steps toward the road and the waiting vehicle.

"We died, didn't we?" Mai said suddenly. "I've been thinking about it. The only way we could be here now is if we died. Right?" He didn't look surprised, barely glancing at her as he nodded. Her face saddened at the revelation. "That's too bad, I suppose."

"We're not dead anymore," he remarked.

"I guess so." She agreed, though there was skepticism in her voice. "I expect you won't tell me about my.. my own death, will you." He shook his head, his eyes straight forward, watching the path. "I didn't think so," she sighed. "Did you die first? I mean... did I know about your death, before I died?" She finally asked, reluctantly. He shook his head again. "Then how... how did you die?"

Naru chuckled slightly, the sound surprising her. "Lin would have called it _reckless endangerment to self by foolish use of my own devices_." She frowned, not comprehending, and he finished his explanation. "PK."

Mai gasped and immediately tried to hit him but he swayed effortlessly, avoiding the attack. "Naru!" She scolded, stopping in her tracks, tears forming in her eyes. "You killed yourself?"

"Yes," he said calmly, stopping two steps below her. He turned, looking upwards as he met her gaze honestly. "Quite purposefully."

She clenched her fists at her sides, biting her lip to keep it from trembling. "Why would you do such a thing!? _How_ could you do such a thing?!"

He lifted his shoulders, shrugging slightly. "The end justifies the means."

"Then..." The realization was dawning on her and she couldn't quite force herself to voice it.

"Yes," he continued, "so we could be here today, Mai."

"What if it hadn't worked?" Her voice rose shrilly, panicked.

"Of course it would work."

Two stray tears slipped down her cheeks. "You... you're always so _goddamned egotistical_! How did you know it would work? You'd never done anything like that before!"

A wry smile formed on his lips, though she could see the discomfiture in his eyes. "They always told me I had extraordinary abilities, but I couldn't use them because my body couldn't handle the strain. I guess..." he paused, "I realized that if I didn't need to preserve my body, I could do something truly amazing. Something worthwhile and not just something a group of researchers wanted to see. Truthfully, I don't think I did it alone. I'm almost certain I had Gene's help.. and possibly more than that." He paused, gazing at her. "But that.." he sighed, turning his eyes away from hers. "I don't remember."

Mai burst into tears, covering her face with her hands as she began to sob. Rather than any sorrow, it was more the sheer overwhelming nature of the situation she could not handle. "But.. if you did that so we could... so we could come back here..."

"So _you_ could," Naru corrected. He walked back up the two steps toward her and sighed again. "Don't cry, Mai," he said, his voice as gentle as she remembered Gene's voice from her dreams, but somehow still as matter-of-fact as usual. "I didn't do this so you could cry about it."

His words only made her tears increase and he slowly reached for her, first placing a warm hand on her shoulder and then drawing her into a loose embrace.

As drained as she was she could see the absurdity of the situation. She was sobbing into the chest of the last man she ever would have expected to offer such comfort. Slowly, her crying began to subside and she backed away from him. He gave her the space freely, dropping his arms and putting his hands in his pockets, assessing her emotions with careful eyes.

"Let's go find a place to eat lunch," he said, turning and continuing down the stairs. She wiped at her eyes, grateful both for his comforting actions and the way he had backed away at her first indication, but she was confused by his behavior all the same. A small bewildered smile twitched at her lips and she hurried to follow him.

...

The drive back into Tsuruga was silent. Mai knew Naru was aware that she needed time to process what he had just revealed to her. Even when he parked the car in the garage, saying, "We'll walk on the street," she had the feeling he was not expecting a verbal response and she simply nodded in agreement as she walked with him to the sidewalk. He tilted his head, motioning for her to follow him and they walked side by side in silence up the street.

He was the first to speak, pausing in front of an upscale sushi restaurant. "If we're in Tsuruga, we might as well have seafood, don't you think?"

"It looks awfully expensive," Mai said apprehensively.

"I would hope," he said, his voice sounding slightly indignant, "that you wouldn't expect me to make you pay for your meals after I forcibly took you out of Tokyo and brought you here."

"You really didn't really _force _me," she said, smiling. "But I would feel guilty." She looked down at her casual clothes. "Besides, neither of us are dressed for that nice of a restaurant."

"We passed a boutique, if you'd like a new dress," Naru said blandly.

"Now you're being ridiculous," Mai giggled. "Besides, what would Lin-san say if he saw the bill from this place?"

"Lin's not here," he said flatly.

"But he would disapprove," she protested, laughing.

"What does it matter what Lin thinks, anyway?" Naru asked with a surly look on his face.

Mai ignored him. "Let's go over there," she said, pointing to a smaller place across the street. "It looks busy, so it must be good."

He didn't contradict her but shrugged, allowing a small smile to cross his features and followed her, letting her lead the way to the restaurant of her choice. Before they arrived, Mai turned toward him, stopping suddenly on the sidewalk. "You did that on purpose," she accused.

"Did what?" He asked mildly, raising an eyebrow.

"You.. you tried to make me feel better." She dropped her gaze to her feet, looking at the scuffed and worn sneakers. "You've done that before, too.. thank you."

He said nothing as he moved forward, and with a gentle push to her shoulder he turned her around and steered her forward. "It's lunchtime, Mai, and you've been in the sun too long. If you don't eat anything soon, you'll start to hallucinate."

She followed him, a cheerful grin spreading on her features as her spirits brightened.

...

After lunch they continued to walk, touring the town by foot. They stopped at various sightseeing spots: temples and shrines, parks and shops. Their stay at each site varied between nothing more than a quick look or a thorough walk-through. They were both more interested to visit the Shinto or Buddhist sites, and though he obviously held no interest himself, Naru was patient as Mai window-shopped various stores they passed. All the while, their conversation had started up again.

"When you said you wanted to talk about what has happened since we last met, did you... did you mean that?" Mai asked quietly, studying the charms for sale at the stand next to a temple.

"Of course," Naru said, looking insulted that she didn't believe him. "Why would I have said otherwise?"

"Well," she floundered slightly, looking embarrassed. She smiled slightly as she selected the charm and took it to the counter, laying down some coins and smiling as the shopkeeper thanked her. Turning back to Naru, she pocketed the charm, a flush on her cheeks. "I don't know. I guess it surprises me, is all. Maybe I shouldn't have said that," she finished, her voice lower.

"Mai," he said sternly, frowning. She could tell that he was annoyed. "I didn't bring you to Tsuruga because I wanted to do some sightseeing. It's a pleasant enough way to pass the time, but it wasn't my intention."

"Right," she said, thoroughly chastised, her cheeks reddening. They walked together away from the temple, back to the street. Mai chose their route based on the amount of shade they'd be able to walk in and Naru followed her without protest. While not uncomfortably hot, the hair in front of his ears and around his hairline was damp with perspiration from being in the heat.

"Well... what about you?" She asked, looking toward him nervously. "What had you been doing these past years?"

He shrugged slightly. "Working at the British Society for Psychic Research. It was similar to what I did here... leading a team of researchers on specific cases. There was less freedom, however. I couldn't pick my clients." His lip curled slightly. "Reporting directly to Madoka, of course."

She couldn't contain her laugh. "I bet you _hated _that! Why not open your own office?"

He shrugged again, turning his head and avoiding her gaze. "In any business, it's politics and funds. My parents didn't want me to come back to Japan and I was hesitant to act against them."

She paused in her step, looking up at him quizzically. "Did you _want _to come back to Japan? Re-open your office?"

He hesitated, lowering his gaze. "Sometimes, yes. But I tried not to think about it; knowing I couldn't leave." He saw her skeptical look and sighed. "It would have been difficult. To open the office permanently would have been difficult with my British citizenship. I didn't want to make them lose another son. They were so devastated over Gene."

She nodded and looked away, once again uncomfortable at the mention of his older brother. "But you liked being there, right?"

"Well enough. Sometimes it was very tiring to work in the same office as my parents, not to mention living in the same house," he said dryly. "I was quite sick of my mother trying to set me up with the young women whose parents she had met at various social functions."

Mai laughed as she imagined him on a blind date. "Still no personal life, Naru?"

He looked embarrassed and still would not meet her gaze. Somehow the fact delighted her. "I dated occasionally. Nothing serious."

"I suppose no one was ever more interesting than your work, hmmm..." Mai said, surprising herself at the boldness of the statement.

"No." He answered flatly.

She looked away and directed her gaze down the street. Even though she was very happy to hear Naru talk about his life—something he had never done with her before—it made her sad to think that his work had _always _come first. They were approaching a park and as they neared she directed with her hand to take the path into it. They moved off the street and into the green space, walking toward a central plaza with a fountain. "What about Lin-san?" Mai asked, starting the conversation again. "Did you still work with him?"

"Up until very recently. He took some time off for the birth of his son."

Mai's mouth dropped open. "_What?_ Lin-san had a _son_?" She stuck out her lower lip, sullen with the news. "I didn't hear about that. I didn't even know there was someone he was _interested_ in, let alone possibly having a _child_ with."

"He married two years ago," Naru gazed at her calmly and she squirmed under his gaze. "You didn't keep in contact with anyone, did you? Takigawa and Matsuzaki would have known. Hara, as well."

"Well..." she faltered. "I didn't expect to with Masako, so that was no surprise. I tried to stay in touch with Ayako and Yasuhara, but they're both so busy, so that fell off... John promised to, and he did for a while, but before long he went back to Australia for some reason and I never heard from him again. Bou-san and I did meet up." She sighed slightly. "We'd go out for coffee and talk about what we were doing, but our meetings, regular at first, were getting pretty rare." She sighed again. "He probably didn't want to talk about anything remotely relating to SPR, or thought I didn't want to. We never did." Her face fell and she sighed again, louder.

Noticing her change in mood, Naru nodded toward an ice cream stand they were approaching and changed the subject. "Do you want ice cream?"

"Sure," a grin slowly spread across her face. "Ooh, they have sherbet!"

"What flavor do you want?"

"Hmmm... raspberry sounds good."

Naru bought two small paper cups, passing one to Mai and keeping one for himself, and they continued their leisurely walk. After several moments of silence, enjoying the sherbet, Mai spoke again.

"You know.. even though I tried not to believe... I suppose I _knew_, even yesterday. As soon as I saw Michiru, I knew that something was wrong. Even though I thought I was crazy." she exhaled loudly and giggled softly. "She yelled at Iwasaki-kun and she used his last name. I thought it was weird, because I thought they had been seeing each other very seriously for some time now. But that won't happen for another two years—it was during college that they started dating." She sighed. "I suppose the me eight years ago wouldn't have acted like this at all. I don't really _feel _like a seventeen year old high school student."

"You don't act like one, either." Naru said quietly, dipping the spoon in the bowl, executing the maneuver with careful precision.

"I guess not. And you... you're not the same, either. We're both different people, aren't we," she finally said slowly, tapping her lower lip with the small spoon. "The Naru I knew never would have eaten ice cream with me. Never would have come here with me and talked to me like this." She shrugged and smiled at him. "I suppose it's been eight years."

"It has been eight years," he agreed. "And one can't expect to die and come back to life and remain the same."

She laughed. "Yes, I suppose so." Sighing, her grin faded. "I don't remember that. Though I still don't remember how I died, so of course I can't remember being dead."

"I don't have any memories after my own death, either." Naru acknowledged. "It's possible we never will."

"I imagine so. How could we be alive and have memories of death?"

Naru shrugged and remained silent. Tossing his empty cup in a waste receptacle, he held out his hand for hers, which she handed over easily and he repeated the action. "You haven't told me anything about your own life," he finally said, blue eyes narrowing slightly.

Mai flushed slightly and looked away. "It's not that interesting."

A small smile quirked his lips. "Surely my life wasn't the epitome of excitement, either."

She hooked her fingers together, stretching her arms in front of her. "Well, I was working at a research firm." She sighed. "Not nearly as exciting as SPR. I didn't have anything to do with the research in the field, either. Just clerical work, entering data into spreadsheets, some analysis." She blew her bangs away from her forehead. "But I didn't dislike it. The hours were good, it was an easy commute and there were great benefits..." her voice trailed off and she shook her head. "It's annoying to think it was all for nothing."

"It wasn't," he disagreed simply. "It wasn't wasted. Nothing was."

She averted her gaze. "Maybe," she said dubiously. She tilted her head back and looked at the trees above them. "And outside of work, there wasn't that much. I'd read, go to movies occasionally, study..." He raised an eyebrow and she flushed. "I... I was studying English. Maybe because you always told me I was so terrible at it but I wanted to get better."

"_And how were you progressing_?" He asked her, speaking in English.

"_I certainly wouldn't brag about it_," she retorted in his tongue. A satisfied smirk appeared on his face and she huffed, continuing in Japanese. "Contrary to your opinion of me, I read a lot, so I tried to read books in English. It was challenging at first, but I think I got a lot better," she admitted.

"That's more time spent alone than I would have expected from you," Naru remarked quietly.

Mai shrugged. "I _did _spend time with my friends... maybe every weekend or so. But they always wanted to go shopping or to some fancy restaurant, and I..." a slight blush pinkened her cheeks. "I was trying to save money."

"What, no boyfriend?" He asked, an eyebrow rising.

The pink turned to red. "No," she corrected. "I had broken up with my last boyfriend a few months ago. I only dated him because a friend from work _insisted_ we'd get along well." A small smile crossed her face. "He turned out to be a moron, though. Not an original thought in his head and absolutely no spine. I didn't enjoy spending time with him at all." He looked amused. Catching the look on his face, she looked annoyed. "Why am I telling you this? I don't imagine you find it very _interesting_."

Naru shrugged and slowed his gait as they neared an intersection of paths. "Perhaps you wouldn't believe me if I said I did."

She watched him quizzically, chewing on her lower lip. "You never did come back to Japan after all, huh?" She asked. "In those eight years."

He shook his head in response and exhaled. It was quiet enough in the park for her to hear the unobtrusive sigh. "It was probably a terribly selfish thing for me to do," he finally said, raising his dark blue eyes to meet hers.

She frowned. "What was?" From the darkening of his eyes she had the feeling he was not talking about the fact that he hadn't returned to Japan.

"I.." He hesitated and stopped. She turned, pausing in her steps to look at him. "I thought many times about calling you, Mai. But I never did. I'm sorry... I probably should have."

She tried to avert her gaze, suddenly thinking it necessary to check if her shoelaces had come untied but it was difficult to tear her eyes from his gaze. She'd never, _never_ seen Naru look like this, nor had she ever expected to. Sincerity lined with sorrow and regret. But it wasn't all despair—there was still the faintest glimmer of hope in his eyes, as well. Of course, she thought to herself, Naru would never completely lose hope, not even for a moment.

She closed her eyes and an image filled her vision: a young man, older than both of them today, sitting at a table in a dark room with a bottle of expensive-looking Scotch and a small glass, anguish and determination in his eyes. It was the vision of a man before a final and desperate act.

She shook herself slightly and opened her eyes, knowing she shouldn't have seen that. Whether it had been the truth or not—it wasn't something for her eyes to know. "Then why didn't you?" She finally said, not knowing what else to say.

He shrugged and let out a sharp, awkward chuckle. "Cowardice, I suppose. I didn't think you could ever forgive me for what I put you through. And I didn't know how to apologize."

She fiddled with the hem of her shirt. "Do you know," she started slowly, knowing full well he did not, "I stayed at that particular firm because they had a reputation for transferring their most exceptional employees to their international offices? I worked really hard," she continued, her chestnut eyes gazing calmly forward, "because I hoped that I might eventually get promoted and asked to go to the London office."

Naru remained silent, the both of them standing very still on the side of the path. A roller skater moved by them quickly but both ignored her presence.

"I think I knew," she said, "that what you said to me wasn't the whole truth. That you probably didn't like me the way I had just professed that I did, but..." she laughed softly, turning her gaze away. "I don't know. I probably didn't know exactly what I thought I was feeling, either. But I still wanted to see you again." She looked up at him again and smiled truthfully. "So I'm glad I got to see you again, Naru."

He hesitated. "Could you forgive me for dragging you back here? Back all these years... to have to do everything over again."

She frowned slightly, but her eyes were smiling. "Didn't you hear me? I'm _glad_, Naru."

The smile he returned to her was small but Mai felt a rising of joy and a lightening of her chest as he did so. "Me, too."

They stood for several moments in silence before they both seemed to agree that it was time to continue walking, and without a sound, moved forward side by side underneath the trees. They were walking out of the park when Naru looked at his watch, exhaling as he saw the time. "We should probably head to the train station before too long. I'll have to return the rental car as well."

She nodded slowly. "I was wondering," she started, "why didn't we take the train in the first place?"

He shrugged ever so slightly, a small wistful smile crossing his lips. "I guess I thought it would be better to drive you."

...

He had bought the tickets, of course. Had she even offered she knew he would have refused. Naru was a man of principles, after all, and somehow strangely old-fashioned. When the thought first struck her she nearly giggled, imagining how well he would fit in with the fastidious scholars of her imagination. In her mind he was a somewhat cleaner version of Sherlock Holmes, though her idea of the famous detective was completely established by a movie that wouldn't be released for another seven years. All the same, she entertained the thought of him in a coat with a hat and a cane, running around London looking for ghosts just as Robert Downey Jr. searched for clues. The image brought a smile to her face. Walking toward the booth, he had shot her a questioning look over his shoulder which she returned with a lop-sided grin.

Standing a few feet behind him, she waited as he made the arrangements, gazing up at the time table and map above her. Despite her reluctance to leave Tsuruga, she was glad they were heading back. She wanted the afternoon to continue but she also knew the end was inevitable, and the trip back to Tokyo would take at least four hours. She didn't know when exactly Naru was leaving for England—only that it was the following day—but she felt a pang of guilt every time she thought how he had abandoned all responsibility to take her on this trip. The revelation created a twist in her stomach and a wrench in her heart, so she tried not to think of it.

"Shall we?" Naru asked as he held out the ticket for her to take, raising an eyebrow as she tore her gaze from the map.

Mai felt a heat rise to her cheeks and nodded quickly, wishing that she didn't always appear so absentminded as she took the ticket from him.

They didn't have long to wait after boarding the train before it left the station. Mai had chosen the window seat and gazed outside, watching the trees and power lines slip by. After some time she glanced back toward Naru. He was reading a paper, his cheek resting against his knuckles.

"Thank you," she said softly.

His gaze moved to hers, holding steady. A small smile crossed his lips and he shrugged ever so slightly, folding the paper and resting his hands in his lap. "It was the least I could do. I'm glad you enjoyed it."

"I mean," she hesitated, "for everything. Not just bringing me here, but... well." A short chuckle escaped her lips. "I guess _bringing me here_ might be the most accurate way to say it, actually. I mean... I'd be dead without you, so I'm in your debt."

"Then," he said slowly, "I suppose I should say the same."

She looked at her hands, unwilling to meet his gaze. "What time do you leave tomorrow?" She ventured, glancing up at him.

Naru sighed, rubbing his temple with his index and middle fingers. "Fairly early. I imagine Lin is going to be quite angry with me when I get back."

She pursed her lips. "I'm sorry," she muttered. "We probably shouldn't have come here."

He shook his head to silence her but remained quiet himself. His head was tilted slightly to one side and he gazed forward, eyes unfocused. "Do you want to come to Gene's funeral?" He finally asked quietly. "I didn't ask you the first time around. That was... rude of me. You have a right to attend as much as anyone else."

"N-no, not at all." She looked at her hands. "It would probably be inappropriate." She sighed and looked out the window, gazing absently at the sky. "Besides, honestly... I've already paid my respects, in my own way. If you don't mind... Gene is at peace. I'd rather not reopen those feelings."

"I understand." A sad smile moved his lips. "I feel the same way."

"I'm sorry, Naru," she said quietly, and after some hesitation, she placed her hand on his. His hands were cooler than hers and slowly warmed at her touch. "I'm sorry you have to do it again."

"Yes," he sighed. "I suppose I should probably explain things to Lin. So he understands."

"What will you tell him?"

"Just the situation." He paused, frowning slightly. "I can't tell him anything about the future. Nothing specific. I won't tell him anything that could change his own outcome."

She nodded slowly. "What about the two of us?" As she said this she blushed, wishing the words didn't have any implications. The warmth from their hands together suddenly seemed incredibly distracting and embarrassing. He didn't remove his hand from under hers, however, and she didn't feel compelled to pull away, either. "My future will be different. Because I remember."

"Yes," he agreed. "Our futures cannot remain the same." A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "I suppose that was the idea, anyway."

She lowered her gaze again. There it was again, the idea that Naru had done all this to change some future event—something she didn't even remember. The fact that he had killed himself to bring them both back to life wasn't a comfortable thought.

"Mai," he said, shifting his hand so that he was holding hers gently. The trembling that she hadn't even noticed starting slowly subsided.

"I know," she whispered. "You didn't do it so I could cry about it, right?"

He chuckled slightly, though his eyes were troubled. "Of course not. Quite the opposite, actually."

She frowned slightly, eyes searching for a non-existent object in front of her. "My wallet..." she suddenly said. "I couldn't find my wallet that morning." Her eyebrows knit together in frustration as she tried to piece together the situation. "But I must have had my train pass, because I went to work. Yeah.. I asked Misawa-san if I could borrow some money for lunch. Otherwise, it was a normal day at the office." Naru said nothing, watching her remember. "When I came home," she continued, sighing. "The window was broken. There was a man there." She didn't say anything else but Naru knew she remembered everything up to the moment of her death.

His hand tightened on hers and she smiled wanly, raising her eyes to meet his. "I'm sorry," she said, simply.

He dipped his head, avoiding her gaze. "You needn't apologize for your own death."

"Maybe," she said, smiling even though her eyes were filled with sadness. "But I wasn't there afterwards. Death isn't hard for the person who died, just... everyone else. I'm sorry someone had to tell you I died."

The feelings that had overwhelmed him when Lin told him of her death came rushing back and he took a deep breath the quell the onslaught.

It was her hand that squeezed his, then. "I'm sorry," she said again.

He held her hand all the way to Nagoya; the connection only broke as they transferred trains. On the Tokyo-bound train their conversation slowly started up again. Asking her more about her work, Naru listened attentively as Mai told him anecdotes from the firm, describing the people she worked with and the research they had been doing. When she turned the question on him he told her of a trip he and Lin had taken to Estonia to investigate a troublesome _liekkio_, which he explained was the spirit of a murdered child that had gotten trapped in a marsh. The appearance of which had caused several car accidents until their arrival and close of the case. They ate dinner on the train, buying bento boxes halfway through the trip and continued their conversation.

"Did you travel out of England often?" Mai asked.

Naru shook his head. "Only on several specific cases. I had a feeling that Madoka was reluctant to send me too far from home."

"Did she feel guilty...?" Mai asked quietly, unable to continue her statement and to bring up Gene's name again.

"Perhaps," he conceded. "She might have felt guilt for suggesting the idea to him in the first place, and no doubt my parents feel guilt for allowing him to go."

Had they had the conversation before and Mai was the same seventeen year-old Mai who did not carry with her the memories and experiences of the next eight years, she might have asked him about it. And if he had been the same boy as before, the answer to that unspoken question would not have lain so clearly in his eyes. But she didn't ask, or even think to, as she could see his own guilt he carried for letting his brother come to Japan alone, and averted her gaze. She did not want to see it.

"It's nobody's fault," she said softly. "You know that."

"I know," he agreed. He sighed, the wry smile returning to his face. "Gene would have said it as well. No one's to blame. That's just how it goes. And the end justifies the means."

She frowned. "What end? What are you talking about?"

He didn't answer her immediately but chuckled weakly, leaning his head back against the seat. "All of this, of course." He turned his gaze to her, his dark blue irises glinting as the light from the sunset hit the curvature of his eyes. "My future. And now _our _future. All of this happened because of Gene."

He was right, of course, and she thought about the fact for several moments. "Do you think he knew?" She suddenly said. "I mean... he was pre-cognitive, right?"

Naru lifted his shoulders, a sad smile of futility on his lips. "I can only guess at the possibilities."

...

Mai felt her disappointment rising as their arrival into Tokyo became imminent. First the announcement had played, signaling ten minutes until their destination. Then all around them in the train car the passengers began readying their items for departure. She wasn't ready to part from Naru, knowing that if things turned out similarly to last time she might never see him again. She didn't _expect_ things to be the same, of course, considering everything that had happened, but Naru _was _getting on a plane the next morning and she didn't know what would happen after that. She also had the feeling that there was something he wanted to say or discuss but hadn't brought up yet, and she was anxious to know what it could be. Their arrival into the city only offered less and less time that they might be able to speak.

When the train pulled into the station and they disembarked, Naru turned his head to her, gesturing forward as he began to walk. "I'll take you home," he said and she nodded, following him through the crowds.

It was silent between them as they took the train, first on a crowded express route and then transferring to the local that ran through her neighborhood. It was almost a stereotypical situation. Mai was certain she'd seen the scene in movies, on television, or read it in comics a thousand times: the man standing protectively over the woman on the train, shielding her from hands and bodies that would push or shove. She looked up at his stoic face, finding herself gazing at the deep blue eyes that were trained on some distant object—an advertisement, perhaps, or something out the window. She'd always believed he was kind but the overt display of consideration was new to her. A sad smile formed on her lips at the thought. Had Naru always treated her so kindly she would have truly meant every word of her confession. After all the time that had passed and everything she'd learned about life and the world and the people in it, she didn't know what to think of her adolescent feelings. But certainly, had the situation been anything comparable to this, there would have been no doubt about it.

When they stepped off the train into the cooling air it felt almost exactly the same as when he had picked her up the day before. The street lights were flickering on and the sky was dimming, orange and purple clouds lit from a setting sun she could not see. It was only a short walk from the station to her apartment and they moved side-by-side in silence, both anticipating the moment they would have to part.

Naru slowed his gait as they neared her apartment building, stopping at the steps. The two stood in silence underneath the overgrown lilac tree that Mai had walked by every day as she entered and exited her apartment. The smell from the tree was sweet. The last of the late-blooming blossoms had fallen to the ground long ago but the leaves were still fragrant and the fact was accentuated by the humidity. She looked at her feet, tracing her fingers absently against the palm of her opposite hand, dreading their goodbye. It had been bad enough the first time. She wasn't looking forward to having to do it again, even if the circumstances were much more congenial.

"Mai," Naru said, prompting her to meet his gaze. When she did he moved forward, gently pressing his lips against her cheek before backing away. Their gazes met once more and sensing her approval he leaned toward her again, brushing her lips tenderly with his own.

After the kiss the two remained standing quietly. She had taken his hands in hers and realized she had been squeezing them tightly, and so she relaxed them abruptly. Naru did not allow her to simply drop his hands, but held hers firmly in his own.

"Will we ever see each other again?" She finally asked, her voice sounding meek and embarrassing to her ears.

"Of course we will."

"But… when?"

Naru remained silent for several moments. "Come to England with me." She might have thought he was joking, but his voice was very serious. "After the funeral."

"But.. what about school?" Mai protested. "I may have lived to be twenty-five, Naru, but... I'm still only seventeen. I have one more year before I graduate high school. I can't just _leave_."

"Then after you graduate." He said simply.

"Naru..." Her voice trailed off as she hesitated. This was nothing like the young man she had once known.

"You can continue your studies in London, if you want. My parents would be happy to let you stay at their house for as long as you wanted. Knowing you, I'm sure you could even charm them to help pay your tuition."

"Would I even get accepted to a university in London?" Mai asked, dubiously.

"I'm sure you would," he said confidently. "Just... come visit, at least." He smiled slightly. "You don't need to make a decision now. If you think you might want to stay, then after that we can work out a student visa or a work visa... anything." Seeing her surprised expression he simply shrugged. "I'm sure BSPR would hire you. If that's what you wanted, of course."

She inhaled deeply, wishing his expression wasn't so _calm _when saying such a thing. "England," she repeated.

"London," he continued, "is smaller than Tokyo and it rains more, but I think," he paused, searching her face, "you might like it." He leaned forward again, kissing her fully on the mouth. "Just think about it," he requested softly as he released her lips. "That's all I ask." He squeezed her hands gently and let go, their hands dropping to their sides. "I'd better go," he admitted and smiled dryly. "Though I'm not looking forward to the wrath of Lin."

"He'll understand," Mai said, "or at least, he'll be understanding. It'll all turn out okay."

He nodded in agreement. "I'm sure it will. Thank you," he added, a faint smile raising his lips. "I'll call you this time."

"Promise?"

"I promise." Turning and walking away, he raised a hand in parting.

"Have a safe trip," she called after him, waving.

He smiled at her, something halfway between a grin and a smirk, and called back in English: "Good luck with your studies. Graduation is only eight months away. No one speaks Japanese in England!"

"I will! I'll study hard!" Her voice trailed off, her vision blurry as tears formed in her eyes. She let them slip down her cheeks as she watched his form disappear down the street, hoping, _knowing_ it wouldn't be the last time she saw him. It wouldn't be the same this time around. It _couldn't _be. Things would surely be different.

...

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading! I'd be very happy if you let me know what you thought, liked or disliked, so leave me a review or send me a message. Muchas gracias, si vous plaît! Cheers!


	2. Part II: Interlude

_**Part II  
Interlude - June 20th, 2009**_

It had been seven years since that day. That hot and humid summer in Tokyo had been her last; after graduation the following March she'd left Japan to go to England to start a new relationship, a new career and a new life. Things between them certainly hadn't been easy in the past six years they'd been together, but they'd definitely gotten smoother over time.

She hurried through the room, her bare feet almost silent on the floor, picking up books on the desk and looking beneath them before tossing them back into place. Sinking to her knees, her dress billowing with the movement, she yanked open the heavy drawers of the desk, rummaging through papers and folders before moving to the next.

"Oh, no," she breathed, rocking back on her heels. "Naru'll _kill_ me..."

There was a rap at the partially open door and a hand pushed the heavy wood the rest of the way open, stepping inside. His polished black shoes were loud against the wood floor, almost echoing in the tall room. "I couldn't help but overhear," he said, an eyebrow raised in amusement, adjusting his cuffs as he spoke. "Just why would I do such a thing?"

"Well, hypothetically speaking," she grumbled, rising to her feet. She looked particularly short next to him. Her petite frame was accented by the elegant black dress she wore, her waist looking especially small with the floating design of the skirt. "If I did actually _misplace _them, after the trouble you went through taking me to the Consulate..."

"What are you looking for, and why now?" He asked, stepping behind her as he reached into his suit jacket pocket, taking out a delicate piece of jewelry. Stilling her, he placed it around her neck, fastening and adjusting it so it lay over her collarbone.

"What's this?" She asked, turning to look in the mirror, her eyes growing wide as she saw the string of pearls. He stood behind her, laying his hands on her bare shoulders.

"Happy birthday," he said, squeezing her shoulders, stooping to place a gentle kiss at the nape of her neck.

She laughed as she turned, swatting at his arm playfully before rising to the tips of her toes, kissing him soundly on the lips. "My birthday is still two weeks away. So what's the occasion?"

"Technically, it's not just from me," he admitted. "Mother insisted that you have it now. It was her mother's before hers, and she wanted you to have it. She wasn't sure you'd have an opportunity in the near future to wear it, so... well, you know how she is. Opportunistic, even if it means giving you a birthday present thirteen days early."

"Thank you," she said, kissing him once more. "I'll thank her as soon as I see her, too."

"Hopefully not like this," he murmured, and she laughed in response, wrapping her arms around his neck as she kissed him again.

He pulled away and pointed at the closet. "As much as I'd rather just stay here and snog, we're already running late. Where are your shoes? Or is that what you were looking for in the desk?"

"No," she flushed, turning away from him as she went to the closet, pulling out a box. "Sorry. I just... I just noticed that my visa extension application wasn't on the desk anymore, and..." As she spoke she opened the box and placed the black heels neatly on the floor, into which she stepped daintily, gaining a slight but noticeable height with the transformation. "I started getting nervous."

"This?" He reached into his coat pocket and removed several crisp pieces of paper, folded neatly into thirds.

"You!" She spun to face him and pointed an accusatory finger at him. "You had it all along!"

"You left it on _my_ desk, not yours," he said, an amused grin lifting his lips.

"Well, let me have it back," she demanded, holding out her hand. "I'll mail it in next week."

"As you wish," he agreed, placing them in her hand. "Just don't send them in yet."

She frowned. "Why not?"

"I saw an embarrassing typographical error you'll want to look over," he said, the familiar self-satisfied smirk crossing his features. "But we'll have to talk about that later." He was moving toward the door and beckoned for her to follow. "I wasn't late last time, Mai. We are not going to be late for Lin's wedding this time around, either."

"Oh, we still have plenty of time," she protested, laughing, as she followed him down the hall.

...

It was many hours later when they finally returned, hand in hand, to the Davis house. It had been a wonderful ceremony, idyllic and picturesque, held in the English countryside at a quaint little bed and breakfast. Even if he didn't appreciate the decorations as much as many of the delighted women seemed to, even he would admit that it had been beautifully done. There were flowers and garlands everywhere with butterflies flitting about, mindless of the crowd, and even the midsummer birds seemed to know it was a cheerful occasion, singing merrily in the trees. The couple had taken their vows in the early afternoon, and the joyous celebration that followed had gone long past the sun sank behind the fields—a great many hours, considering that the following day would be the solstice and it was the second longest day of the year.

He had been there before. "Been there, done that," the adage proclaimed but had never been quite so accurate. However, the event had been significantly different than last time. The most noticeable of which stemmed from the fact that Mai had been determined to keep certain friendships this time, vowing to stay closer to everyone from SPR. She was undoubtedly successful in that venture, which in turn affected both he and Lin. Naru wouldn't have anticipated the group to stay close, especially with the vast geographical distance that separated them, but somehow, against all odds, they did. He and Mai had taken several trips back to Japan and had met up with everyone each time. Takigawa had spent a month with them in London, several years ago, shadowing Lin in his work and the two had developed a keener friendship in the process. John had stopped to see them on a trip to visit some extended family in Glasgow. While Mai emailed Ayako and Takigawa casually, occasionally Yasuhara, she exchanged letters and postcards with Masako. It was odd, he thought, that the once bitter rivals had become very close friends. But it was also somehow fitting that the one most reluctant to accept Mai finally did, and did so sincerely and wholeheartedly.

Lin had invited everyone to the wedding and they had all made the long trek to join them: Takigawa had even volunteered his band to perform, though the bridegroom had politely refused the offer. The monk had instead brought a bottle of terrifically expensive junmai daiginjo sake, impossible to find outside the country and rare even in Japan. Lin was quite the sake connoisseur, and as he accepted the gift Naru saw tears—tears that would not fall, of course—form in the Chinese man's eyes as he shook his friend's hand. Such was the bounds of masculine friendship. The rest had come bearing gifts as well: Matsuzaki had brought a beautiful vase and had filled it with lilies for the couple, Masako's gift of a tsukesage kimono and kanzashi hair ornaments was only for the bride (not that it was any less well received because of the fact), and John's somewhat surprising gift of a didgeridoo caused a riotous stir when he played it for the party around eight o'clock. Even Yasuhara had come despite conflicts with his work and had brought an exquisite set of kitchen knives from Japan's oldest and longest-operating knife maker (founded in 1560 in Kyoto, as he had informed Naru on two separate occasions—once when he was sober and once in an elaborate and rather pointless story after he had imbibed several glasses of wine).

He couldn't understand why Mai had been embarrassed with her own wedding present after the flashy gifts of her friends. He could see that she felt absolutely outclassed; especially when he, the best man, revealed that he had bought a bone and bamboo mahjong set for the couple. Not only was it a beautiful (and expensive) gift, she complained, but it had a sentimental value as well: mahjong had been a shared interest that had led to the couple's dating in the beginning of their relationship. When Mai indicated her displeasure at his "too-good gift", as she put it, he calmly reminded her that he had asked her if she would like to give a gift together but had refused, and honestly, why was she so worried about something so trivial, anyway? This placated her and as the night wore on she had all but forgotten about the gifts. Of course, Mai's gift was unique and thoughtful in its own way. She had selected a Japanese cookbook: Lin's bride was half-Japanese, who, despite having never been to the country, loved to cook the cuisine of part of her heritage and it was no secret that Lin enjoyed home cooking himself. Mai had whispered to Naru that she was pleased Lin had gotten over his prejudice of Japanese people, and Naru whispered back his suspicions that when Lin first met his bride, he thought she was of Korean heritage, _not_ Japanese, and had actually been quite startled to learn the truth.

The day before midsummer's eve: it was a warm night. He had removed his tie and his jacket, carrying it over an arm. He'd also undone the first two buttons at his collar and rolled his sleeves to his elbows. She slipped out of her heels as they crossed the threshold, entering the house barefoot both to the relief of her cramped toes and to muffle the sound in consideration of the older Davis generation, who had not celebrated quite so heartily and had retired to the house much earlier. They hurried down the hall, whispering with mock sternness (Naru) and giggling happily (Mai), as only tipsy young adults in love—drunk from champagne, drunk with happiness—can do.

When they finally reached his bedroom, closing the door behind them, Mai burst into giggles, covering her mouth with her hand and looking at Naru apologetically. He shrugged slightly, tossing his jacket over the back of a chair and dropping his tie on the desk. "And what, may I ask, do you find so humorous?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's—not—" she started, unable to contain herself. She calmed herself after several deep breaths, grinning ear-to-ear and eyes shining brightly. "It's not anything in particular," she said, giggling again, stretching her arms wide as if to illustrate the fact. "I'm just so happy. I didn't realize how much I missed Ayako and Masako and Yasuhara, and John—can you believe he played the didgeridoo?—and it was so nice to see Bou-san," she said, setting her shoes neatly by the door. "I was so surprised when he sang that love song for them. I couldn't tell if Lin was mortified or just astonished. I guess Bou-san will always get his way, in the end. Even if his band mates couldn't make it, he still got to sing for them." Naru raised an eyebrow, wondering if Takigawa had spread a different story about why his band didn't play at the wedding. Mai's laughter faded and she sighed, though her grin was no less diminished. "It'll be fun to meet everyone for brunch again tomorrow. I'm already excited about it."

"If they manage to wake up for it," he said dryly.

"Mmhm." She agreed, nodding. "Even Masako drank more than I expected. Too bad everyone is leaving so soon." She sighed again, the happiness on her face fading. "John and Masako are on the same flight tomorrow afternoon, and Ayako, Bou-san, and Yasuhara are flying out early the following morning."

Naru watched the fleeting expression on her face, pressing his lips together in a frown. "We'll just have to go visit them sometime. Or give them an incentive to come back and visit us."

"Oh, yes," she agreed, her eyes lighting up again. "What if we went to Japan for the autumn leaves? I've always wanted to show you my favorite spots in Kyoto. I went once with my class in school and I'll never forget how beautiful it was. Maybe not this year, of course, but... but someday."

Naru nodded but said nothing, though his posture had relaxed considerably to see that her spirits hadn't dimmed for long. He had also removed his shoes, had already placed them neatly in his closet and was in the process of removing his cuff links.

Mai watched him, a tender fondness welling in her chest and showing itself in her shining eyes. She'd been living at the Davis house for six years, now, but stepping into the privacy of his room never ceased to bring her a small surge of happiness. Naru's room, the room he had grown up in with his brother, was clean and ordinary, but that she was there meant he trusted her enough to let her into the private space. He trusted her so much that he was standing there with his back to her, partially undressing. He'd slipped out of the fine dress shirt he'd been wearing and had pulled a t-shirt over his head and bare torso, either oblivious to—or more likely, content to ignore—her steady gaze. He picked up his jacket, removed the boutonniere that was pinned to the lapel and hung it on a hanger in the closet.

He was still standing in front of the closet as she crossed the room, silent but for the soft brushing of her bare feet against the wooden floor. She hugged him tightly from behind. He lifted an arm, closing his hand around hers and turned so he was holding her tightly. She exhaled sleepily, nestling her face in his shoulder as he gazed forward. His lips pursing slightly, he inhaled deeply as if about to speak but remained silent for several moments.

"You're almost asleep, aren't you," he finally murmured, amused.

"Mmm, no," she said as she opened her eyes, though her voice was thicker than it had been moments ago. "I just had too much fun today." She said softly, a smile lifting her lips and her eyes closing once more. She stood still, compliant, as he gently undid the clasp of the pearls at her neck, his fingers sending pleasant shivers down her shoulders as they brushed against her bare skin. "Your mother always gives me such nice gifts," she sighed, opening her eyes again. "It makes me feel guilty."

Naru smirked, placing the necklace on his desk next to his tie. "Why, are you planning to run away with the family jewels?" He asked dryly, bending slightly to turn on the desk light and flipping off the switch for the overhead light. The soft glow from the lamp was a welcome change from the harsh white light from the ceiling. "You shouldn't have let me just take them back like that, if that was your intention." He teased.

"You know what I mean," Mai protested, giggling as she sat wearily on his bed. "I just wish I could give her something in return."

"You have. More than you can possibly imagine," he said quietly, sitting next to her. Their bodies, first touching at the shoulders to elbows as they sat, slowly reclined, laying side-by-side on the bed. Mai shifted so her head rested on his arm just below his shoulder, her arm extended around his torso.

She turned her head toward him, gazing up at him seriously. "You're not going to give me anything else, right? You said it was birthday present from _both_ of you."

He smiled slightly, almost mischievously. "Well, not for your 24th birthday. But I can't make any promises for your 32nd."

She couldn't help but smile, closing her eyes again as she leaned her head closer into his body. It was their own special custom. Every birthday they had celebrated together was actually two: their actual age according to the year of their birth and the number of years they had lived. Unlike most people, these two ages were not the same. "You don't have to, you know."

"Maybe not," he admitted.

Their calm and even breathing was the only sound between them for a long time. Mai's eyes opened when Naru spoke again. "Are you going to sleep in here?"

"Will you let me?"

"Of course. But I don't think you should sleep in your dress."

"I'll go put on my pyjamas," Mai said, sitting up. "I suppose I should brush my teeth, too."

He hesitated for several moments and then spoke. "I don't mind, you know. If my parents know you spend the night in my room. No matter what goes on, or doesn't, while we're in here." Mai began to blush and he continued. "But I don't think you're comfortable with the thought." He sighed, propping himself up on an elbow as he gazed at her. His dark blue eyes were serious, holding her own gaze tightly. She was still in his gaze, unable to resist him.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, embarrassed for being embarrassed. He was right, of course. She had never slept in Naru's room unless his parents were out of town, even though he had offered the invitation on several occasions.

"Don't be." He shook his head. "That's not my intention. I just want you to be comfortable. If they knew, tomorrow morning, that you had slept in my bed, would you be okay with that?"

She hesitated. "Maybe they won't notice. Or we can be really sneaky." She chewed on her lip. "I do... want to stay here with you. If you don't mind. So I suppose it doesn't matter, does it, if they know."

"It doesn't. And of course I don't mind," he scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous. I _always_ want you to stay with me, Mai."

Mai knew how Naru felt about her, of course, but such verbal expressions did have a tendency to be rare and it always surprised her when he spoke so openly about his feelings for her. It was all the encouragement she needed. When she returned to the room, the black dress replaced by a t-shirt and shorts, the makeup washed from her face, he had changed out of his dress slacks into shorts and lay on the bed quietly, eyes closed and breathing deeply.

She turned out the light and crawled onto the bed, snuggling next to him. "Thank you," she whispered. He put his arm around her shoulders in response, curling himself around her body, his steady breathing warm on the back of her neck.

From where she lay she had a good view out his window. Her earlier sleepiness all but gone, she gazed upwards and peered up at the night sky. "It's not like the country," she said very softly, "but you can always see more stars here at your parents' house than anywhere in Tokyo."

She knew his eyes were still closed and from his soft voice she could tell that sleep was close to overtaking him. "We can drive out to the country and go stargazing, if you'd like," he murmured.

"Maybe that should be my birthday present."

Even with a single spoken word she could hear him smile. "Maybe."

...

It turned out to be a kitten. He took her out to an early birthday lunch and afterwards they went to an animal shelter together. He'd known she'd always wanted a pet but had never had the opportunity. It was easy enough to convince his parents to allow an animal to live in the house. They adored Mai, after all, and when they heard it was something she'd always wanted, they were almost _too_ enthusiastic. It had been a long time, but Gene had kept hamsters and guinea pigs as a young adolescent. It was Luella who suggested a cat.

The adoption agency was quiet that early Friday afternoon and Mai cooed delightedly as she watched the different animals, poking her finger through the bars of the cage to stroke the fur of various cats or dogs. For the most part the animals ignored her but the puppies seemed to enjoy the attention, licking her fingers in response. The kitten she eventually picked out was small and gray with squinty green eyes that watched her carefully, but when the attendant opened the cage and allowed her to hold him, the cat cuddled into her arms immediately, purring as she scratched its ears. The adoption process itself went quickly enough. The cat would stay at the shelter to be looked over once more by a veterinarian and they would pick him up the following afternoon.

They stepped outside, shielding their eyes from the bright sunlight, and Mai spoke quickly, having waited to say it until they had left the building. "I am _not _going to have a cat named Sparky," she informed him. "I can't believe they named him _Sparky_! Seriously, that is the stupidest name I have ever heard."

"Then change it." Naru shrugged. "What are you going to call him?"

"Umeboshi," Mai said, with little hesitation.

His eyebrow rose. Surely just as Mai thought Sparky was a dumb name, certainly any Brit would find Umeboshi just as ridiculous. "Why Umeboshi?" Nothing about the kitten looked like or reminded him of a pickled plum.

She laughed. "His eyes were all squinty when I first saw him. Like he'd eaten something sour. And it has to be a cute name, right? So something small and sour, like an umeboshi."

"Lemon drops are small and sour," he said.

"No, no no," Mai emphasized. "Besides, it should be Japanese. His squintiness also made him look like he was Asian." She laughed, clasping his hand, squeezing it tightly. From the glow in her eyes and the tone of her voice he knew she was tremendously happy. It made him happy, too. "He's just like us! He's Japanese, too."

So Umeboshi it was.

...

The days, the weeks, the months passed. It seemed as if they were always together. Sometimes he thought he'd ask her to marry him, but he was hesitant. It was not the wedding itself and all the hullabaloo that went along with it. He'd put up with it, whatever it was. He knew she'd prefer a traditional Japanese ceremony to a western one; he himself didn't care what sort of wedding as long as she was happy. But the problem was bigger than that, much larger than the trivial celebration. He knew neither wanted to make the decision of which country they would call their home as a married couple. Japan was not a country that allowed dual citizenship. If they were wed, would he renounce his British nationality, or would she forfeit her own Japanese citizenship? With his own Japanese heritage he would be content to live in Japan—but for the same reasons he had never returned to the country when he _hadn't _been with Mai still made his decision difficult today, perhaps even more so. His parents were overjoyed to have their remaining adopted son close at home; not to mention the fact that Mai was an absolute delight to them. They'd passed several hints to him already about "tying the knot"; "getting hitched"; "taking themselves off the market"; "surrendering to the ball and chain"; and on and on. Naru had been outraged when his father had made the last reference when the three of them were together; perhaps the only thing that saved the older man from the wrath of his livid son was that Mai did not understand the euphemism.

He'd almost asked her, actually, on the day of Lin's wedding. If she would rather not file that troublesome visa extension application but marry him and become a naturalized citizen instead. The words had been on the tip of his tongue for half a second, but her joy with the reunion of her friends had stopped him. She had made new friends in London as well, of course, but he could see an ease in her demeanor with her Japanese friends that wasn't quite there with her English peers. Would she really want to stay in London for the rest of her life? And if they had children, as he suspected they might, would she not want her children to grow up in Japan, as she had? Would she be content if her children's grandparents lived in England, some nine thousand kilometers and a fourteen hour flight away? As well as he had come to know her, he could not truthfully answer those questions. He himself wasn't sure of his own feelings on the matter. No doubt she would like to be close to her parents' graves, just as he was reluctant to leave the country of Gene's final resting place.

He continued to muse on the subject, knowing they'd have to breach it someday. Someday he would ask her to marry him, and they would have to discuss what that meant for them and their future. No doubt it would be a difficult decision to make, but together they would decide what path to take. However, the timing wasn't right; something about the timing wasn't quite right. He knew that a perfect opportunity would probably never arise, but—still. Something about the situation wasn't right.

And so he waited.

...

It was a crisp autumn afternoon, sunny with brilliant blue skies and brightly colored leaves that had just started to change. This surprisingly good weather after two weeks of dreary and rainy days, was a more than welcome change. She had greeted the sunrise that morning with nothing short of joy; all humans crave the light and she was more affected by the constant drizzle than most. Gleefully, she had asked him if he would mind extending his lunch break with her to take a picnic in the park. After all, she rationalized, who knew if the weather would stay this nice for long. He was not terribly fond of picnicking, but in the years he had known her he had learned to discern when it would be prudent to compromise, and this was one of those times. For some reason the thought of going on a picnic with him today was dearly important to her so he had smiled and agreed. Now, sitting at the desk in the quiet office, he was halfheartedly working on the report from his last case. It was just after noon and he kept glancing at the clock on the wall, wondering when she would arrive. Picnic or no picnic, he always looked forward to seeing her, even though they saw each other every day.

He allowed his mind to wander and he rested his chin against his hand, gazing out the window. A breeze rustled the leaves of a giant elm, the shimmering sound audible even through the closed window. It reminded him of a beautiful fall day in Tokyo—but Tokyo had been on his mind a lot, lately, as he had just started planning a spring trip to the city where he was determined to propose. While not a romantic, he did take immense pleasure in surprising her, and thus, that was his sole intention. He began to wonder about what false pretenses he could use to justify the visit. A new case, perhaps, the original trio of SPR specifically requested by a former client? It would be risky, to be sure, to ask for assistance in his scheme from Matsuzaki or Takigawa—certainly Masako or Yasuhara would be more reliable if he did need to look to anyone else for help. No doubt the group would try to make a reunion out of their visit, invite John from Australia, and hold a party under the blooming cherry and plum trees...

His thoughts were interrupted with a jolt. His thoughtful dark eyes widened with shock, the transformation from calm to terror instantaneous. He knew, even before he heard the rushing footsteps, that something terrible had happened. He was on his feet in an instant, hearing the screech of failing breaks and the screams of pedestrians, the image of a car hurtling out of control toward innocent and vulnerable bodies playing in his mind. A sickening feeling of dread hit him and he immediately began to pray that it wasn't true. He was moving around the desk and approaching the exit when the door burst open and Lin appeared, chest heaving with ragged breaths. "Naru," he gasped, "quick—"

Trying to keep the despair from clouding his mind, he followed the taller man out the door and through the hallway. He nearly tripped over his own hurried feet in the stairwell, wrenching his ankle as he righted himself but was oblivious to the pain that followed as he ran behind the taller man out of the building and to the street. All the while, the steady stream in his mind repeating incessantly _It can't be. I was right here the whole time. I'm dreaming, right? Nothing can come between us. Nothing can happen to her. Not while I was right here, so close_—

_It can't be._

All feeling evaporated from his body as he saw her. The world went silent save for the rushing in his ears, which roared even louder as his eyes took in the sight. Her body was contorted in an unnatural way, lying still on the sidewalk, her blood staining the pavement. One of her slip-on shoes had fallen onto the street, her limp bare foot lying over the curb. Next to her hand was a crumpled canvas bag, some of the contents spilling out across the walkway and into the grass. Their picnic. The anguish clenched even tighter around his heart. Why had he ever agreed to such a foolish idea?

He was taking in large gasping breaths and even then it was difficult to breathe. His vision swimming, he sank to his knees by her side, hardly daring to touch her should he cause any more damage. It was obvious to him that there were broken bones and the strange twist of her body indicated an injury to her spine. He slowly took her hand in his, clasping her fingers as he looked to her face. Her expression was far too peaceful for the scene, a stark contrast to the blood that was already matting her hair. Her eyes were closed and he became aware of the sound of her shallow breath, relief flooding his chest. She was breathing. Hearing the sound of a siren, he looked around, as if only realizing his surroundings. She was not the only one injured at the scene: there was a child wailing, clutching his mother's hand as blood trickled from a gash on his head. The woman herself moved gingerly, as if she had fallen, and he could see the bruises forming along the scrapes on her knees where grit and small pebbles were still embedded in the skin. A middle-aged man was limping toward a pair of frightened students, checking to see if they were all right. Other than their shock they seemed unscathed. Two others appeared to have taken minor injuries; one of whom Lin was helping to his feet, the other, an older woman, holding her arm against her body, was assisted by a young woman.

The police had arrived: the lone first-responding officer immediately checking to make sure the car, crumpled and smoking against the now fallen light post, was not in danger of catching fire. The second police car screeched to a halt, parking across the street and directing the traffic around the accident. The paramedics were quick to arrive soon after, two ambulances arriving almost simultaneously. Of the first, two men rushed to the car to extract the driver. A sudden hand on his shoulder caused him to bring his gaze forward again and a voice asked him if he was hurt. Numbly shaking his head, he tried to gesture toward her, but his movements seemed sluggish and clumsy. But the emergency workers were already pulling him aside, his hand reluctantly leaving hers as they placed a stretcher on the ground next to her. He was only able to watch helplessly as they moved her carefully onto it and into the back of the vehicle.

Only when the ambulance began to drive away he realized he had been crying. It was Lin who finally helped him to his feet and drove him to the hospital.

...

He'd been in the waiting room for hours, resting his forehead against his hands as he sat in an uncomfortable plastic chair. Lin, witness to the scene, had only left his side to be questioned by the police for his account of what had happened. He had been standing in SPR's lobby when the accident occurred on the street in front of the SPR office.

He wished that his parents were there. Since he'd arrived at the hospital and even moreso when Lin had left, he'd done nothing but try to contact them. After multiple failures, he'd finally gotten through to them. Of all the weekends to go to Paris! They were going to catch the next flight back to London but it would still be hours before they arrived. He wished his mother was there to hold him, as he knew she would. He wished for his father to tell him that everything would be all right. He wished for it, as if the thought of them taking control of the situation would somehow change the outcome; even though he knew their being there couldn't change anything.

Within the first hour he spoke regularly with the doctors as they assessed her condition but after some time there was nothing new to report and he sat silently, undisturbed as he waited. Sheer exhaustion had pushed him into a restless doze, and when he woke, disoriented, he looked around the room, searching for the quiet voice he thought had woken him. His throat was dry and he felt a new pang of helplessness as the situation weighed down on him.

He hadn't moved from his still position when Lin's wife rushed into the quiet room, finding him easily among the other silent patrons. He stood, startled, limbs creaking from the unnatural position he'd rested in. She hurried toward him and enveloped him in a tight hug. "Oh, Oliver," she cried. "I'm so, so sorry. Is she still…?"

He nodded numbly. With her embrace he realized that his limbs were stiff and cold. She seemed to notice as well. "Here," she said, pulling a large sweatshirt out of her shoulder bag. "Koujo said you left without anything and I know hospitals are always cold, so I brought you this..." She practically put it on for him, zipping it up the front. "Where is he? I thought for sure he'd be here with you."

"Talking to the police about the accident," he said, his voice a raspy croak. She immediately reached into the bag and pulled out a thermos of tea, passing it toward him. He took a long drink and forced a lifeless smile, clearing his throat. "Thank you, Sarah."

"I brought some food, too, there's another thermos of soup, and some sandwiches." She peered inside the bag and passed it to him, wringing her hands. "It's not much, but I wanted to do _something_..."

He had eaten half a sandwich when Lin returned, eyes sorrowful and weary. "I passed the doctor on my way back. They say we can see her now." He sighed. "I need to move the car, though. Or pay the meter again."

"I'll take care of it," Sarah said, standing quickly. "You should go with Oliver."

Naru had already risen to his feet, striding forward. Lin hesitated but followed, close to his side. Walking together in silence they walked down the hall until they reached the room that had "Taniyama" scribbled on the clipboard hanging by the door.

The room was cold—too cold, he immediately thought, searching for a thermostat to adjust the heat. And utterly silent. The only sound was the beep of the machine which even to his untrained ears did not sound regular or reassuring. He approached her cautiously, though her figure was barely recognizable. Most of her body was encased in casts or covered in bandages. When the car had hit her she'd broken bones from her knees to her hips, ribs and vertebrae, her arm and her collarbone. But it was the spinal cord and head trauma the doctors had been most concerned about. He'd heard them say "complete paralysis" and "permanent disability as a best-case scenario" in hushed tones.

"The doctor said he'd be back soon," Lin said.

His head snapped up, training his eyes on those of the older man. "What did he say?" When his friend hesitated, he spoke again, his voice steady and demanding. "Tell me, Lin. Please."

Lin spoke with difficulty. "They don't think... they don't think she'll make it, Naru. She's still alive, but only.. only just. If she does survive, they don't think she'll ever come out of the coma."

"What about…" his voice trailed off and Lin shook his head.

"I can't, Naru. This is out of my league. I could cast a spell to keep her heart beating, perhaps even encourage her body to heal itself. But there's nothing I could do for her head injury."

Naru released a shuddering sigh.

"I'm sorry." Lin spoke softly, choking slightly as tears gathered in his eyes.

"It's okay," the younger man said, eerily calm. "We'll just go back again."

"Naru!" Lin gasped, taking hold and shaking the smaller man's shoulders. "We all have to lose the ones we love at some point."

"No. Not yet." A disturbing determination was filling his eyes.

"You told me before that you didn't know how you did it. No matter how we explained it, you didn't really know how you turned back time and brought her back to life. That you didn't think you could do it again."

"I _can_," he snapped. "I _will_." Stepping away from Lin, he moved closer toward the hospital bed where her body laid, picking up her limp hand and cradling it in his own. Tears filled his eyes and he brushed her bruised cheek tenderly. "I will," he repeated softly.

"_Naru! Please!_" Lin had shouted the words but they were barely audible over the din that had begun to grow in his ears and he ignored him, gathering his psychic energy without hesitation. While still standing in the hospital room, he was also standing in the middle of a dark, vast ocean. An unrelenting wind gathered around him, ripping his clothes and stinging his eyes as he waited for the waves to crest and fall upon him. He then became aware that something was trying to stop him and drag him from this tumultuous sea of energy: Lin had set his shiki upon him, but those, too, he ignored. He brushed the attacking demons away like sand, concentrating on the final moment. The waves, all around him, rose higher, and finally broke with a tremendous, thundering crash.

It was an explosion and an implosion all at once. The wave of his energy was released and his body was both ripped apart into thousands of pieces and crushed into a space the size of a thimble.

_Please_, he prayed, managing one last coherent thought. _Don't take her away yet._

Within the cacophony he thought he heard a gentle whisper. _There's more that you can do_, the small voice told him. _There's another life you should save._

Then there was silence and nothing remained. Not even darkness, not even light.


	3. Part III

_**Part III**_

Mai Taniyama opened her eyes.

A dreary grey sky awaited her gaze, an endless expanse cut short by the buildings that loomed over her. Miniscule, icy cold raindrops sprinkled her cheeks and nose. She could feel frigid water seeping through her clothes to reach her skin: she was lying in a puddle. Apparently in the middle of a crosswalk, as she could hear idling cars and the familiar chirping of the light.

_London? _— she thought quickly, and as she slowly became aware of the sounds and voices of the busy street around her, her heart sank. Not London. Tokyo.

Footsteps ran toward her, a shadow against the grey sky. "Miss, are you all right?" Gloved fingers reached for her own bare hands and helped her sit up. Her eyes widened as the voice continued. "You're not hurt?"

She'd have recognized that peculiar Kansai accent anywhere and the bright, worried blue eyes and golden-blonde hair confirmed his identity. "It's terribly icy, isn't it?" John Brown helped her to her feet and then fetched an umbrella from the ground (presumably hers), fumbling as he tried to straighten the broken spires. Frowning, he handed her the umbrella he had been holding over his own head instead.

"Please, take this," he said, peering anxiously at her face, remaining a polite distance. With sudden certainty Mai knew that he didn't know her. He didn't remember her.

"Oh, no, I couldn't..." she protested, holding the umbrella back out to him. "I'll take the broken one, it's fine, please. I shouldn't take yours... that wouldn't be right."

He looked confused and she realized he didn't completely understand her. Some key word or form of her speech wasn't yet in his learned Japanese vocabulary, or perhaps she had spoken too quickly. "It's fine," she repeated, in English. "I can't take yours." Bowing quickly, she continued. "Thank you for your help."

Obviously startled that she spoke English, she used the opportunity to hand him back his umbrella, switching his for her broken one, and hurried away quickly.

_Naru_, she thought, her mind racing. _Where am I? More importantly, where are _you_?_

...

Going home to an empty apartment was not appealing so instead she went to a department store and bought new tights and a skirt, a sweater and a new umbrella. Cringing as she counted the yen out of her purse, she made the purchases, both justifying to herself that it was necessary and wondering what her current finances were as she spent the money. She found a public restroom, changed into the dry clothes and went to a cafe. After ordering tea she specifically chose a seat that was near a vent, putting her damp coat across the back of the chair in such a manner that it would dry with the warm blowing air.

She sipped the hot beverage, trying to remember the details of the last day of her life. What had happened that Naru would again do the unthinkable and turn the world's order on its head? She assumed she must have died. Everything else up to the point was startlingly clear—but of that final day she had only the faintest recollection of the events. It had been a sunny day, perhaps, though why did that even matter? It seemed as though she had planned something special, or maybe a special event was about to take place. She couldn't be certain and had no firm or absolute memories of that day. As she wondered she realized it was quite like waking up and trying to remember dreams from the night before. Knowing that there had been something and yet that emptiness was all that remained. Even though she racked her brain, the fog refused to lift, so she gave up. Inhaling the scent of the tea, a small despondent sigh passed through her lips. She'd ordered formosa oolong without a second thought—it was something she had favored as of recently, she and Naru both. The reminder that he was not with her was painful and she tried not to think of all their quiet moments together—those occasional moments when he had said he'd always be with her and more often the times he didn't say it but she believed it just as strongly.

_He might still be in England_, she thought. _He might not have even come to Japan yet. John's Japanese wasn't terribly good... it could be half a year before I met him. Didn't he tell me once that he visited Tokyo several times before he moved here from Kyoto? So it could be months before our first case..._

She sat there even after the tea was gone, contemplating the matter. When the already grey sky began to grow dimmer, signaling the imminent transition from afternoon into dusk, she left the cafe, grudgingly walking to the train station that would lead her back to her apartment.

She was only just entering the busy station when she saw him. Her eyes widened and she nearly stopped in her tracks the moment she saw the dark hair and elegant profile, a slim figure wearing a dark jacket and scarf. Without a second thought she immediately hurried forward. "Naru?" she breathed in disbelief.

The young man was studying the route map and turned his head when he saw her approaching. His eyes met hers.

Instantly she knew she had been mistaken. It was not Naru. It was _Gene_.

...

She'd tried to pass it off as a mistake, but he'd been curious—much toocurious for her liking—and insisted that he take her out for coffee. That was perhaps the most startling of all. Here she was, sitting in a quiet cafe with the once-deceased-but-now-quite-alive twin of her future boyfriend, and he was drinking _coffee_. Black without cream or sugar. She had ordered genmaicha—for some reason it had always been a calming drink for her. The way some sought chamomile for comfort, she went for brown rice tea. Though she knew she was a long way from hysteria, a soothing drink never hurt anyone in a stressful situation. He'd ordered a slice of raspberry truffle torte; she had politely declined his offer to buy her a dessert.

"You know Oliver, my brother?" He asked again, lifting the cup, familiar dark eyes observing her steadily. He had not yet spoken Japanese to her, only English. When he had first spoken to her, Mai had the fleeting thought that she could both pretend it was a mistake and that she did not speak his language, but she had always been terrible at acting and somehow she just _knew_ he could see the comprehension in her expressions, try as she might to hide it. Besides, even though he hadn't spoken a word of it, he had to speak Japanese as well, didn't he? He would simply be grilling her in a different language instead.

"Um, well, we met," she started awkwardly. "I wouldn't say I _know_ him." It felt terrible to lie, but she didn't know what else she could say.

"How did you meet, then?" He raised an eyebrow. "In Tokyo?"

Inwardly she wondered if he was testing her. She could see in his sharp eyes that he didn't quite believe her but had no firm reason for disbelief, either. "No, I did a study-abroad trip last year to London."

He frowned, glancing at the torte, carefully piercing the tip with his fork. He'd eaten it backwards, starting with the thick end of the wedge and approaching the point. "Aren't you a little young to go to another country by yourself?"

_How old am I now, anyway? Fifteen? Sixteen? Anyway, Gene, what a question! Aren't you in Japan by yourself? Aren't you still a minor? _She laughed, perhaps a bit too brightly. "I didn't go alone. It was a coordinated trip. With my school."

"That must have been fun," he said quietly. Mai found herself thrown off-balance by his sullen demeanor before realizing the nature of his disturbance with a start. _He's jealous_, she thought suddenly. _It makes sense, doesn't it? That Naru_—_Oliver, I need to remember to call him Oliver_—_would have a friend, an acquaintance of _any_ sort, no matter how casual I pretend it to be_—_that Gene doesn't know? They've always done everything together. His coming to Japan is really the first time they've been apart. Of _course_ he's jealous._

With a start she remembered something Naru had said to her many years before. _I don't have any memories after my own death. It's possible we never will._

_How could we be alive and have memories of death?_

_I never met Gene while he was alive_, Mai thought. _Even with everything that happened, he won't remember me_—_he can't possibly remember me._

"Yup," she said, her mind racing despite her calm words, trying to steer the conversation away from the absent younger brother. "I think my favorite part was seeing the pelicans. At some garden. I had never seen pelicans before."

"Your English is awfully good. That must have made the trip pretty easy," he remarked, lazily dangling the fork above the empty plate. "You almost sound like a native speaker."

_That's not what Naru said, the first time the topic ever came up. It was 'atrocious', 'horrible', and 'devastingly bad', I think he said. _"My mother spoke English," Mai lied. "So I had practice at home since I was young."

"I suppose that's lucky for you." He smiled suddenly, a conniving glint in his eyes. "It looks like fate led us to each other today, doesn't it, Mai? Because you're friends with my brother I feel that I can ask you for a tremendous favor."

She tilted her head, genuinely confused by his abrupt change in demeanor. "What is it?"

"The hotel I was supposed to stay at was overbooked and I lost my reservation." He grinned at her. "So let me stay with you. I'd love to meet your mother."

...

And so, here she was, leading the way back to her apartment. Shocked and surprised, she'd only been able to utter "Okay" before he took care of the check and cheerfully hurried them out of the restaurant. Walking on the street, her expression turned from his view, she frowned slightly, almost rolling her eyes. It had all been calculated. Their appearance wasn't the only trait they shared. Obviously Gene could be just as manipulative as Naru, though she was thankful that his mood had brightened and he wasn't as overtly suspicious as before.

It was early spring, she realized, passing the lilac tree as they climbed the stairs to the second landing. The buds were tiny, but visible, shiny and wet from a day of cold rain. Searching her pockets and then her bag, she found the keys she was searching for and unlocked the door, entering the quiet apartment, simultaneously stepping out her wet shoes and turning on the light. She hadn't been here in years, but seeing it again was familiar and almost reassuring. It was like being in a dream of her childhood: but it _was_ her childhood and she wasn't dreaming. Gene, behind her, gazed around the silent apartment, his expression blank.

"Your mother's not home?" He asked, looking around the room. He took off his shoes and crossed the room, picking up a picture frame that sat next to some books on the shelf. He studied the picture, turning it over in his hands. A couple with a young child: one of her only family photographs. "What about your father?"

"They both died a long time ago," Mai said simply, walking to the small range and turning on the tea kettle. She then stooped, opening the half-sized fridge and peeked inside. She winced as she saw it was all but empty. _I hope I at least have something instant to share... I didn't eat very well back then. Around now. Hardly ever cooked at home, just onigiri and I sometimes made rice to extend a take-out meal._

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice quieter, clearly regretting what he had done. "You should have stopped me. I wouldn't have..."

"Mnmm, it's okay," she shrugged and opened a cupboard, continuing her search. "Sorry it's not much. I never made it to the grocery today. Do you want ramen?"

"I can take you out to eat," he offered.

"No, it's okay, as long as you don't mind..." she paused, reading the cup she had pulled from the cupboard, "...miso or sukiyaki cup ramen." She turned to him, grinning as she held up the cup. "I only have two varieties."

"That's fine," he agreed. "Thank you."

"Feel free to sit down," she said, and he hung his coat next to hers on the peg by the door.

As the water heated she set the cups on the counter, ducking her head and examining the contents of the cupboard more closely. The once necessary supply of instant ramen was quite low, but that was probably for the better—she hadn't eaten ramen in years, and while it would get her by tonight, it wouldn't do for tomorrow. She then took the bag of damp clothes and took them into the part of the apartment that was partitioned off with a sliding screen—her bedroom—and hung the clothes on the string above her futon before returning to the kitchen.

All the while her guest watched her carefully, seated at the low table of the kotatsu, drumming his fingers silently against the surface. He had the distinct feeling that she was lying about _something_, however, he couldn't fathom what it could be, or why. He frowned slightly, pondering the question. Why would she lie about knowing his brother and how was it possible for her to mistake him for his younger twin if she hadn't actually met him? Whatever her lie was, it made him more curious than anything else—he knew with certainty there wasn't anything malicious about this girl and he knew his impulse to invite himself over had been the right thing to do.

She interrupted his thoughts, first apologizing that she didn't have many options and then asked if he would prefer water or tea. After some hesitation, he chose water, which she hurried to provide.

Mai had been right; he _was_ jealous. But some of the jealousy stemmed from the fact that girls had _always_ gravitated towards him in preference to the quiet and surly Noll. No exceptions. He hadn't even realized he had grown accustomed to it until now: here was an attractive, intelligent girl who was obviously disappointed that he wasn't his brother. His eyes followed her movements, watching as she transferred the meals from the styrofoam cups into ceramic bowls, pursing her lips as if opposed to the flimsy packaging. Obviously, she wasn't used to eating an instant dinner, which made him wonder why there was absolutely nothing else in the kitchen.

"Here," she said, setting down two bowls and then seating herself across from him at the kotatsu. "Sorry it's not much..." she said, repeating her earlier words.

"No, thank you, really," he said, smiling apologetically. "I guess I really am imposing on you, huh? Sorry about that."

"It's fine," Mai said shortly, knowing that he was just saying that to be polite—something in his eyes said he wasn't truly sorry about the fact he was there. However, despite her initial apprehension, she was glad Gene had come home with her. "It's nice to have company, honestly," she said genuinely. "It gets quiet around the house by yourself." _And I'm not used to being alone, _she thought. _Truthfully, if I was by myself I'd probably just be getting scared by the unfamiliar noises of the apartment._

He nodded slowly, slurping his noodles. "I've been lonely the past week by myself and I usually call my family every day. I can't imagine..." His voice trailed off.

_Living without Noll, _Mai thought.

"How long ago did your parents die?" Gene continued, his voice suddenly gentle.

Mai lowered her tea. "My father died when I was eight. My mother died four years later."

"Have you been living on your own since then?"

"No.. I stayed with a teacher from my school for a while. It was only a couple months ago when I had to take all these comprehensive tests and they figured I was competent enough to live on my own. I still have to check in with the social services office every two weeks."

"I see." He cocked a grin. "And they're okay with you eating instant ramen for your meals?"

Mai felt her ears grow hot. It was true; no matter how she would like to deny it. She had always lied about her eating habits when they asked her. "I don't _usually_ just eat ramen. Just... days I don't make it to the store or I'm too busy studying to cook."

Gene's eyebrows arched skeptically but he remained silent, lifting the bowl and drinking the remaining broth. Her demeanor continued to confuse him: was she lying, or wasn't she? It was bizarre: he was almost certain that she was telling the truth _and _lying simultaneously. But how was that possible, anyway?

Mai changed the subject, too uncomfortable to continue talking about herself. "Anyway, Gene, how long have you been in Japan? How have you spent your trip so far?"

"It's been about seven days already. It's been, you know, just sightseeing, really," he said vaguely. "Working on my language skills."

"Do you want to practice?" Mai asked dubiously, pausing as she lifted her bowl, finishing her own broth. They were still speaking English.

"Not especially," he grinned and turned slightly, pulling his knapsack that he had placed near his seat toward him. "I should probably call my family," Gene said, his dark hair falling over his eyes as he rummaged in the open pack and took out a mobile phone. "My mother gets worried if she doesn't hear from me by a certain time of day."

"Of course," Mai said, nodding her head toward her bedroom. "I'll be in the other room." She stood and first took their bowls from the kotatsu to the counter next to the sink before retreating into her bedroom.

The separation between the two rooms was only sufficient for visual privacy and Mai knew she'd be able to hear Gene's one-sided conversation well enough, but it was a polite gesture all the same. Sitting down on her futon, she opened her schoolbag and then dumped the contents out across the surface. Glancing first at the materials she'd been studying, she opened her planner. After an initial grimace, her face relaxed with obvious relief. No class tomorrow, and for that she was grateful.

"Hi, Mum," she could hear Gene say. His voice was somewhat muffled but otherwise quite audible. "Yeah, I'm fine, everything's fine. How're you and Dad?" He paused, listening, and when he spoke again she could hear his frown. "No, I don't want to talk to him, anyway. I don't care where he is and I _don't _want you to pass along a message. I'm sure he knows I'm fine, anyway." There was another long pause and then Gene began to describe his day's events to his mother. He had only just come back into Tokyo that morning from an extended stay in Maebashi and had spent a better part of the afternoon at the Sensoji temple. She turned her thoughts away and began to page through her homework. Seeing her English homework incomplete, she finished the rest of the questions with ease. Glancing over the first half, she noticed with a frown that she'd made several mistakes and contemplated fixing the errors for several moments. Finally deciding that it could be suspicious to have such sudden improvement, she did not to take the effort.

"Is Lin around, by any chance? Let me speak with him," Mai's ears perked up when the conversation shifted again. "Hey, Lin," Gene said cheerfully. "How are you doing?" He paused. "I was wondering if you could pass along a message to Noll for me."

Mai looked up involuntarily when Naru was mentioned again, straining to catch more of the conversation.

"I don't want to talk to him," Gene snorted in disdain, "so it's just as well that he's not there. _No_, don't tell him to call me back. I'll have the phone off, anyway." Mai imagined that Lin had suggested Gene speak to his brother and give him the message himself. Lin had never liked being the one to pass along messages. "Anyway, I ran into a girl who seems to know him. She mistook me for him. I just wanted him to know. That's all."

Mai frowned, wondering. It was something close to contempt that lined Gene's voice as he spoke of Naru. No doubt about it—the twins were arguing about something, a rift large enough between the two that Gene wasn't speaking to his younger brother.

"Yeah, she's letting me stay at her house," he said casually. "Don't worry, Lin, I know she's not dangerous. This girl wouldn't hurt a fly. Trust me on this one. It's just something I_ know._"

She sighed. Feeling guilty for her eavesdropping, she concentrated on her math homework until Gene's conversation was over.

...

After his phone call Mai returned to the main room and ventured if he didn't have any other plans for the night, she had some board games they could play together. When looking over her small selection Gene immediately pulled her father's old Go set from the bottom of the stack, asking her if she knew how to play and if she could teach him. Mai was dubious but Gene's clear enthusiasm at the prospect was quick to convince her. The two played the game until after some time Mai found herself yawning every few seconds. Noticing her yawns, Gene said he was getting tired and Mai confessed she needed to retire, take a shower and go to sleep.

"I really appreciate you letting me stay here tonight," Gene said, watching as she moved the kotatsu out of the way, unfolding her extra futon. As embarrassed as she had been to only have ramen for her guest, she was just as thankful that her apartment was clean and she didn't feel compelled to vacuum. She took a comforter and pillow from the closet shelf and passed it to him.

"It's really no big deal," she said, smiling at him. "It's nice to have friends over. It gets lonely in a quiet apartment," she repeated.

"Let me make it up to you," he said earnestly. "I'll take you out to lunch or to a movie tomorrow. Or dinner. Whatever you want to do. It'll be our date."

Mai felt a flush cross her cheeks as he said this and avoided his eyes. His friendly tone and compassionate gaze was all too familiar and almost unsettling to see. "I'll think of something fun we can do," she agreed, carefully avoiding the word 'date'. "We can do some sightseeing in Tokyo."

"We'll talk it over tomorrow morning," Gene promised, a huge yawn filling his features. "I'm tired too. Let's just go to sleep."

...

Mai awoke in the night to her mobile vibrating next to her head. Opening her eyes blearily, she groped for the phone, fumbling it open and answering as she pressed it to her ear.

"Hello?" She answered, the Japanese almost sounding foreign to her own ears after speaking English for such a long time.

"Mai. It's Lin." The voice was curt and serious, no-nonsense. As to be expected.

"Ughhh," she groaned, rising just enough to squint at the clock next to her futon. The softly lit analog clock read 1:34. "What time is it there?"

"About half past four in the afternoon. I'm sorry to wake you," he apologized.

"It's okay," she said, flopping back down on her back and lowering her voice to a whisper. "Is... is Naru there?"

His hesitation was obvious. "That is precisely the reason I called you."

Her half-lidded eyes snapped open wide immediately, deciphering the meaning in his serious tone. "He's not?"

"No," Lin hesitated again. "I have no idea where Naru is."

"Wait," Mai said, the realization hitting her. "You... you remember everything, don't you?"

"Yes." Lin sighed. "Up until the moment Naru took your hand and unleashed his energy. The next thing I knew, it was eight o'clock in the morning, spring and not autumn, and the world has gone back seven years."

"But Naru's not there?"

"No. If it was exactly like the previous time he did this, he should have been in the same place as he was at this very instant last time, which would be here. But he's not. I'm wondering how long I should wait for him to show up before I have to tell Luella and Martin he's missing."

"Where could he be?"

The man exhaled heavily. "I can only hazard a few guesses. Either he found it necessary to leave the house this morning without telling anyone, or he wasn't here in the first place. It seems more likely to be the latter: I can't imagine how he could have left without anyone noticing. Wherever he is, that would indicate that things are not the same this time around, and turns our hypothesis on its head."

Mai chewed on her lip. Naru had pursued the question of how exactly he had turned back time, sorting through what seemed like thousands of unlikely possibilities before tentatively settling on one idea, and it was shaky at best. While Naru and Lin disagreed on many parts of his elaborate theory, they both agreed that it was most probable that his psychic energy had been strong enough to create an intense gravitational field that had disrupted the space-time continuum, and had been focused and direct enough to bring him—and others—back to a specific moment. Mai, on the other hand, was content to leave it a mystery unsolved. Despite his ideas, he hadn't been able to explain to her how he could have moved time backwards but simultaneously kept their memories of the future (or as he liked to call it, their _shared pre-cognition_). It was all complete speculation and honestly, whether it was a parallel universe or a wrinkle in time, she didn't like to think about it.

"It isn't possible that... that he didn't make it, right?" She ventured.

"No, that's not possible." Lin sighed yet again. "If Naru died or disappeared, Gene would certainly know. We can count on the fact that he's alive and well. I just don't understand why he isn't here now. I think the worst thing that could happen is that he won't remember what happened... remember the future, as you say."

The thought created a lump in her throat, which she swallowed and tried to forget. "Speaking of which, I don't quite understand why you remember. You didn't last time."

"It may have been my proximity to Naru when he initiated this... fiasco. I must have been killed by the blast. I assume Naru was as well. Perhaps that's why."

Mai had the distinct feeling that there was something Lin wasn't being truthful about. Under most circumstances she wouldn't press the man to disclose anything he wasn't comfortable with, but with the current situation she didn't want there to be any secrets between them. "What else?" She asked quietly.

His hesitation was obvious but when he spoke she knew he was being completely honest. "I tried to stop him," he admitted. "That may also factor into our current state of affairs." He paused again, regret and shame unmistakenable in his voice. "I'm sorry, Mai."

"It's okay," she said, though her throat had tightened as she tried to imagine the situation the two men had been in. "I'm sure you were just trying to protect him. There's no way you could have known what would happen." She paused, remembering Lin's words from several moments before. After a short silence, she spoke again. "How did I die, anyway?"

"Also in Naru's PK explosion." He paused, choosing his words carefully. "Otherwise, you hadn't died yet."

"But I was about to, huh."

"It was only a matter of time."

She sighed, suddenly feeling very glum and wishing Naru was by her side. "Sorry. That's not important. You know that Gene is here, right?"

"Yes. You needn't worry about whispering, Mai, I've sent a shiki to watch him and it tells me he's still fast asleep on your spare futon." He paused, several moments of pensive silence. "If Naru doesn't show up by tomorrow, I'll probably send the rest of my shiki out to see if I can find him."

She frowned. "Won't that exhaust you? First of all to have your shiki here, with Gene..."

"Perhaps, but ultimately necessary," he sighed. "I would like to find Naru and get him on a plane to Japan as quickly as possible. I'm sure you realize that the day of Gene's death is only ten days away, and quite honestly, this is a problem that I think only Naru is equipped to deal with."

"Can't I just tell him the truth?" She questioned.

"I don't think that would be very wise," Lin cautioned. "I'm not entirely certain he'd believe you nor do I think you could convince him to skip his appointment in Nagano."

"What if you asked him to come back to England? Or explained to Martin and Luella and have _them_ ask him to come home?"

He sighed and she could hear him slumping in his chair. "Bringing his parents into this is not currently an option. I never was as close with Gene..." he cleared his throat and started again. "I'm not as close to Gene as I am with Naru. This is a point in time where these two brothers relied heavily on each other but not anyone else. While Naru, having lived first eight and then seven years into the future, has matured and progressed from that, no time has passed for Gene. The only one who will be able to change his mind or persuade him to change his course of action is his brother. Might I add his whole trip to Japan is very precious to him. He's proving to himself and those that surround him of his own capabilities and independence. He has carefully thought out and planned everything and telling him to come home and abandon his work there will not go over well. It may seem counterintuitive to wait but I really think Naru has to be the one to deal with this situation. I have a feeling that Naru will know what to do, not to mention he's the only one who can ameliorate the anger Gene will inevitably feel if he finds out the truth."

"What do you mean?" Mai protested. "Won't he be happy when he finds out we've returned to the past and he can avoid his own death?"

"First of all, were you happy when you found out you had died, and what Naru did to bring you back? No, Mai, I suspect Gene is similar to you in that regard. _Happiness _is certainly not the first emotion he will feel. Secondly, Naru didn't do this to save Gene," Lin corrected. "He did it to save _you_." Mai swallowed, her mouth going dry, and he continued. "Don't confuse him with his brother, Mai. They may look the same but Gene is irrational and flighty in ways that Naru never will be. If Gene finds out—which I have a feeling he inevitably will—that Naru has discarded their closeness and replaced that bond with you, he will take it as a complete betrayal on Naru's behalf."

"But... but that's not true," Mai whispered.

"Of course not, but Gene is only sixteen years old, Mai. He's not a rational adult like you."

She laughed bitterly. "No one has ever called me a _rational adult_, Lin-san."

She could hear him smile. "I won't argue the matter. If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you to keep an eye on him. It would probably be best to keep him close by until we can get Naru there."

"Of course," she agreed. "I'll... I'll do whatever I can."

"I'll alert you if I find Naru." He sighed deeply. "I should let you go back to sleep."

"One more thing," Mai said, a new thought quickly forming in her mind. "Do you think… do you think I'll have my abilities again? According to Naru's theory, coming back in time to _before _my so-called psychic awakening... will I retain my abilities or not? Is that the same as memories, or because I haven't been on those cases, and Gene hasn't guided me... it never happened?"

"That's a good question," the man said. "Did the future events really occur or is it just a form of pre-cognition? I honestly don't have an answer. You may just have to wait and see."

"Hmm," she frowned. Suddenly realizing that she had been utterly self-absorbed in her own side of the situation and completely oblivious to Lin's, her face flushed with shame. "I'm... I'm really sorry about dragging you into this, Lin-san." She stammered. "That wasn't fair to you. I'm sorry... about Sarah-san."

"It's... it's okay." Lin said quietly and she cringed, knowing that some of the sentiment was forced. No doubt as much as she missed Naru, surely Lin was just as distraught to be apart from his wife. "I'm sure I'll be with her again someday."

"I'm sorry," Mai said again.

"It's not your fault. You have no need to apologize."

However, it did feel like it was her fault. She was the one who had died—or almost died—after all. She was, as Lin had said, the reason Naru had brought them there. "You'll meet again and things will turn out even better than last time," Mai said hopefully. "I'm... I'm sure."

"Yes. Don't worry about that, Mai. We're here now and there's nothing we can do to change that. Our task at hand is to save Gene's life."

She bit her lip. "Yeah," she agreed. "Okay."

"I won't keep you up any longer. Goodnight, Mai."

She held the phone in her hand long after their conversation, wide eyes gazing in the dark toward the ceiling. Gene. _Gene_. What was he doing here? And why was he angry with Naru? She knew next to nothing about Gene's visit to Japan. "He was doing independent research, visiting psychic mediums" was the extent of her knowledge. Naru had never spoken of it; she had never asked. It was still painful for him to remember the events that led to his brother's death. When he spoke of Gene it had always been stories of their late childhood or early adolescence. A memory of his brother at eleven, recounting some event from when they were thirteen, or telling her a story of twins at fifteen. Nothing regarding Gene's trip to Japan.

She heard the slight sound of Gene shifting in his sleep in the other room, and she too, rolled over underneath her comforter, curling her knees toward her chest and resting her chin against the back of her hand, her fingertips tucked underneath her head. The comfort of the new position lasted only seconds. After much tossing and turning, she finally settled flat on her back, the position Lin had awoken her from. An uneasy feeling gnawed at her insides as she wondered about Naru. Even Lin didn't know where he was. What did that mean? What if he didn't remember? She couldn't imagine seeing him, his face blank without recognition. Surely her heart would break. Sighing quietly, she thought about Lin. He was in the same position, except he had no reason to believe that his future wife would remember him. He would have to move forward, simply hoping that things could be the same and she would love him again.

She exhaled, lighting up her phone and squinting at the bright light before dropping it beside her on the futon. More than an hour had passed since Lin first called her and she was wide awake, alert and in no position to fall back asleep. Thinking and worrying about Naru wouldn't help anything, she knew, so she slowly began to focus on her breathing instead of the man she loved. Her mind calmly wandered over the day's events. Just as had happened the first time, she had no memories from the day before she opened her eyes, her bottom partially submerged in a puddle. She had no recollection why she might have been in that particular shopping area in Ichigaya—though there was a used book and music store she had occasionally frequented and she suspected she might have been on her way there.

Strangely, as she recalled the short day, the thought that was impossible to ease from her mind was the afternoon encounter with John. It was so bizarre to see the Australian so young! She couldn't help but remember the last time she'd seen the priest, at Lin's wedding. Laughing until her sides hurt as he played the didgeridoo and laughing even harder when she remembered Naru once telling her that Lin would have a son. Imagining the boy growing up with such a toy (and the reaction it would no doubt garner from his parents) was just as funny as the expression on John's face. Afterwards, she had asked him when he'd learned to play. Despite the absurdity of the situation, he was quite skilled at the instrument. _"I learned to play it when I stayed with the Pintupi people as part of my ministry,"_ John had explained seriously. _"In their language they call it a paampu."_

Tears gathered in her eyes and dripped down the side of her face, trickling into her ears. She wondered if she would ever have that friendship again, and if it was selfish to think that way. It was a long time before her eyes finally fluttered and closed.

...

Opening his eyes slowly, Gene watched the light from the oncoming morning creep across the apartment. The window was small and covered with a thin curtain, but the approaching dawn could not be kept out. In the quiet room he could hear the soft cooing of a pigeon on the other side of the glass and the sounds of traffic from the street below.

As he had done countless times before, he allowed his consciousness to drift from his body and out the window. It was a trick he'd been fond of ever since he was a small child, looking for stimulation at the stifling orphanage. While his brother caused havoc and poltergeisting with his pent up frustrations, Gene had learned to dream quietly, watching the happenings of the world around him from a detached body, hovering over streets, playgrounds and schools. His caretakers had always assumed he was retarded, the way he would stare blankly at nothing for hours on end, smiling or sometimes even laughing as he watched people and animals they could not see.

It was still overcast but the rain had stopped sometime in the night to leave the streets wet and the bushes damp. It was bustling with activity outside. A woman was buying flowers for her daughter's birthday. Across the corner, at a small cafe, a middle-aged couple ate pastries and drank coffee in their Sunday morning routine. A jogger ran down the sidewalk, a light _swish-swishing_ sound from his pants as his ankles crossed each other. A small dog barked once, a high pitched yelp from behind a gate as the man passed and was quiet.

Returning to the room, bored with the activity, Gene frowned slightly and closed his eyes, turning over thoughts in his head. He'd always been able to see things that others could not. In addition to his ability to see and speak with spirits, he'd discovered that he could see hidden things about the living as well. While he was much more cautious in this practice, it was a habit he'd secretly enjoyed: eavesdropping on dreams. Just as he was able to separate his consciousness from his body and view the world outside the walls that confined him, he could use that skill to enter another's open, unsuspecting conscious. Filled with curiosity, when he'd awoken that morning he'd done to Mai what he'd done to others before her: slipping into her dream, watching with all his senses from afar.

Her dream had been almost a simple nightmare: the ominous calls of a murder of crows, heard but not seen, echoing among the buildings as a young woman ran through deserted city streets. She was searching for something or running away from something—it was difficult to see exactly which. But several things about the dream were suspicious. First, it was an unmistakenable _London_ that she ran through frantically, which struck Gene as odd. Either the memories of her trip had been enough to bring about such a vivid dream, or London held more importance to her than he had thought. Secondly, hovering on the edge of her conscious, he was certain that on some level she knew he was there. With the exception for the times that he'd slipped into Noll's dreams, that had only happened once before. He'd only made the mistake of crossing the threshold into Lin's slumber once and had apologized profusely when he saw the man during waking hours. But Lin was a sort of extraordinary creature, with more tricks up the onmyouji's sleeve than he suspected any of them knew about. The fact that this ordinary girl sensed his presence was disconcerting, to say the least.

Gene opened his eyes and sat up with a yawn, scratching his head and ruffling his hair. She'd never elaborated on how she had met his brother, and the arising suspicion that this girl had latent psychic abilities made him wonder if her "school trip" had actually taken her by the British Society for Psychic Research. (Why else would she have allowed him to come home with her, unless she'd somehow instinctively _known_, as he did, that it was a safe option? She seemed smarter than to bring a complete stranger to her empty apartment.) Noll had always spent a lot more time at the BSPR office than he did; it would make sense that he would have met her there. It would also explain her hesitancy to elaborate on the meeting. But unless she attended a peculiar school, it wasn't likely that a school trip would have taken here there. He wondered if perhaps it hadn't been a school trip at all.

He stood quietly, surveying the room. It was a small apartment, perhaps only a little larger than the his and his brother's bedrooms combined. The room had a pleasant, cozy feeling to it, though it was meager and perhaps a little too cramped for his liking. After all, Mai was an orphan, a student who probably didn't have a lot of time on her hands to make money, and most likely relied heavily on whatever stipend she received from social services. While the clothes she had been wearing yesterday seemed new, he'd noticed that her coat had a rip in the sleeve that had been mended and her shoes had holes forming above the soles. The blankets and futon seemed old and while the curtains that covered the window were cute, they were faded and obviously secondhand. The kotatsu, now leaning against the wall, was the only real piece of furniture in the room. One of the walls was almost entirely covered in shelving and completely filled with a variety of objects and items: books, magazines, pictures, knick knacks. The kitchen was but a corner of the room, and contained only the essentials, nothing frivolous. There was the closet from which she'd retrieved his futon last night, which he set about folding and replaced neatly, as well as a closet for a toilet and a separate closet for a shower. No doubt for an apartment this size the included shower was a luxury.

After he had put away the pillow and comforter, he walked across the room quietly and slid open the door that separated her bedroom from the rest of the apartment, silently looking inside. Mai was in a deep sleep, breathing softly and evenly underneath her comforter. Evidently the nightmare that had disturbed her sleep earlier had receded; her face was peaceful and entirely undisturbed by the light from the window and the oncoming morning.

He gazed at her for several moments, taking no interest in the surrounding room, his attention held rapt by the sleeping girl and tracing over her serene face with his eyes. Her lashes were long and dark against her pale skin, the gentle morning light resting on her smooth cheeks and slightly parted lips. He was suddenly struck by the notion of beauty but he immediately banished the thought. Turning his head, he slid the door shut again and returned the room to its privacy.

...

Gene had showered and dressed, left the apartment, bought breakfast and an English newspaper, returned and was seated at the kotatsu when Mai finally arose. He heard her moving about and dressing in her room before sliding open her door tentatively.

He looked up and met her gaze, grinning and almost laughing as she peeked into the room cautiously. "Good morning!" He said cheerfully with a wide smile. "Sleep well?"

"Morning," Mai said, and flushed slightly with embarrassment as she entered the room. "Sorry for making you wait. I didn't mean to sleep in."

"Nah, it's fine," Gene shrugged, turning his gaze back to the newspaper. "I've always been an early riser. I bought some pastries and muffins. Help yourself."

"Thank you," Mai said, walking to the kitchen and turning on the hot water pot. Her back turned, Gene raised his gaze and watched her carefully. She carried herself very well, he thought. She had excellent posture and moved very confidently. Observing her in silence, he watched her as she prepared her tea. She was wearing a dress or a skirt underneath a hooded sweatshirt, a lightweight down vest over that. Her hair had been hastily smoothed, he noticed, and several tendrils were astray, sticking out in the back where she no doubt hadn't seen them. Eyes trailing from her head to her toes, he noticed that her stockings had several small tears and holes. As she turned back toward him, holding her cup of tea, he returned his gaze to the article before she could catch his scrutiny.

She sat down at the kotatsu and selected an apple danish, eating in silence. When she reached for a poppyseed muffin, Gene spoke, folding the newspaper and setting it aside. "What should we do today, Mai?"

Mai concentrated on peeling the paper wrapper away from the muffin, avoiding his earnest gaze. "How about the zoo?" She said, it being the first thing that occurred to her. "The zoo is always fun, right? Ueno Zoo is really big, we can go there. Or we could go to the Sea Life Park. Either would be a lot of fun." She paused. "Or we could go around Tokyo. There's cool temples and shrines we could visit, or um... museums and gardens, though it might be a little too early for spring flowers still."

Gene considered her in silence for a moment, then his grin widened and he nodded. "Nah, let's go to the zoo. That sounds like fun."

...

As soon as they had arrived at the zoo he was glad she'd made the suggestion and even more so that he had been agreeable to the idea. It became immediately apparent to him that she would enjoy this trip much more than he would. Whether she realized it or not, it was probably something she needed: he could practically see the weight lift from her shoulders. Her face had lit up as they entered, hurrying toward the exhibit of Japanese animals, her smile brightening as she watched the deer and nearby cranes. Excited, she had turned to him, pointing. "Look, Gene, red pandas!" She had taken his arm and led him up the path to the enclosure, her eyes alight. Watching the small mammals, vaguely listening to Mai reading the plaque aloud, he suddenly realized that she'd been somewhat despondent all morning, as if something unpleasant was on her mind. He just hadn't noticed until now.

They moseyed away from the red pandas and she opened her map, twiddling a loose hair around her finger. It was much warmer than the day before and she hadn't worn her coat, instead wearing a white knit cap and a knit cabled scarf wrapped around her neck to keep out the chill. "Where do you want to go? If we go up this way to the lions and tigers, we'll see otters and birds on the way, and we can make our way around to the sea lions, penguins, and bears..." She pointed vaguely in the direction she intended them to go and frowned. "There's an awful lot. We might have to pick some things to skip over... otherwise we won't make it to the Animals of Africa, and I'd love to see the zebra..." She looked up at him, worried. "Though I guess I can go anytime. What do you want to see, Gene? We'll go wherever you want."

"Mai," Gene said, grinning and closing the pamphlet in her hands. "Don't worry too much about it. Let's start with the owls, eagles, and otters, and we'll go from there."

...

"It was so cool to see that polar bear swimming around!" Mai enthused, grinning. "The last time I went to the zoo and saw a polar bear was in the summer and it was just sleeping. They probably prefer this cooler weather. I love bears," she giggled, and Gene had to smile. It seemed as though every other animal exhibit they passed was followed by Mai's appreciative "I love penguins," or "I love lions," and even "Bats are so cool."

"Are you getting hungry?" Gene asked her. A group of children scampered past them, laughing and shrieking as their mothers called them back.

"Mm, a little bit." She said absently, gazing at a Japanese macaque. "_Nihonzaru-san wa dou omoimasuka_?" She said softly in Japanese. "Is the weather nice today? Are they feeding you well? Do you miss your hot spring?"

They had walked past the macaques and approached the elephants in silence. From behind them they could hear the other exhibit of monkeys playing in their cages and the laughter of the human spectators.

"Do you think they're cold?" Mai wondered aloud.

"Dunno," Gene said. He watched the huge beast in silence before speaking again. "My brother has always loved elephants." Mai remained silent and Gene began to walk, opening the map. "Mai," he called, and she cast one last look at the elephants before hurrying to catch up with him. "After we look at the bison and prairie dogs, let's eat lunch. My treat."

...

They finished their tour of the zoo late in the afternoon. At Gene's request, instead of heading directly to the train station, the two began to walk through Ueno Park, talking all the while, telling stories and anecdotes. Passing the statue of Saigou Takamori, the famous samurai, Mai insisted that she take Gene's picture in front of it, flipping open her cell phone and waving him in front of it. "Every time you pass this statue you have to get your picture taken with it. It's bad luck if you don't."

Thinking that saying _"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard"_ would be a bit rude, Gene instead said, "Says who?" He looked dubious but complied.

"My friend, Michiru." Mai smiled and laughed. "I know it's strange, but one time my other friend Keiko didn't, and she lost her train pass the next day. Anyway, it's just habit, now. Every time we come by. It's kinda fun. We have all these pictures on our phones, standing in front of this statue."

Gene shrugged and pulled out his own phone. "Then I have to take your picture, too."

Mai looked sheepish in the photo, eyes bright and smiling with closed lips. As Gene pocketed the phone, Mai led him by the elbow to a vendor across the way, maneuvering through the other pedestrians on the path. "Gene, have you ever had yaki-dango before?" Before he had time to respond, she had bought two sticks of the grilled rice dumplings, smiling as she passed one to him.

"I wish I didn't have school tomorrow," Mai sighed, gazing upward as she nibbled on the dango. The skies had cleared, the sun finally showing itself and warming the chilly, damp air. "Looks like the weather's going to get nice." Lowering her sight back to the earth, she grinned at him. "Maybe I should skip and hang out with you."

Gene laughed cheerfully, trying to hide how much he liked the thought of spending another day alone with her. It would be a good way to pass the time, to be sure, but he was hesitant to ask such a thing of her—not to mention he had his own things he needed to do in Tokyo as well. "You can't skip! Won't the social services come after you for stuff like that? Besides, what about your grades?"

Mai frowned, averting her gaze, thinking about the last time she had to re-do school and how slowly that final year of high school had passed. "I suppose so," she agreed reluctantly, eating the final dumpling on her stick. This time she had three years ahead of her, not just the one. At least her grades would probably be better this time around.

"What's your favorite class in school? English, since you're so good at it?" Gene pulled his own final dumpling off the stick with his teeth, and tossed the stick into a trash can at the side of the path.

Mai made a face, stepping behind him to throw her own stick in the bin. "Not really." She frowned, considering. "Literature, I guess. My teacher is really good. And science classes can be fun. I'm taking biology this year." She looked at him curiously. "What about you?"

Gene stretched his arms, gazing forward. "Ah, I don't know. I like history, I guess. And English. Reading. I like art and music a lot, too." He smiled apologetically. "I'm taking some time off school right now. I, well... I graduated high school two years ago and I've been taking classes at the university. Since I don't know what I want to focus on..." his voice trailed off.

Mai had to remind herself to look surprised. She had known that Gene had completed high school early, just as Naru had. "Wow, I didn't know you're a genius!" She grinned at him. "That's so cool, to be done with high school already."

"Sometimes it is."

"I guess it makes sense to take it slowly. You have plenty of time ahead of you to do all the things you want."

"Yeah," he agreed. However, he thought Mai looked a little sad after she said that.

Sidestepping around some laughing high-school aged boys, Gene noticed that two in the group of four turned their gaze to Mai as she passed them. Mimicking their actions, he turned his gaze to her as well. Mai was certainly not stunning, but she was definitely cute. With a small smirk of satisfaction, Gene realized that to most observers he would appear to be her boyfriend.

His hands in his pockets, he vaguely wondered how he would ask Mai if he could keep staying at her apartment. After inviting himself over for the first night, it would be impolite to ask again. Instead of approaching the topic, however, he said, "I'm hungry again. Let's find a place to eat."

"If we go back to my place I can make dinner," Mai offered.

"Nah, it's too far. It'll take too long. By the time we'll get there we'll be starving." He smiled at her. "Besides, I don't want to eat cup ramen."

"I would make something," Mai protested, frowning. "I just need to pick up some groceries, but I can make _nabe_ hotpot or something easy and tasty..."

"Nah, don't worry about it. Besides, I wanted to do something nice for you today. You already had to put up with me all day. So let's find someplace nice, whatever you want." Seeing her apprehension, he grinned winningly and took her arm. "Come on, Mai, don't worry about it. It's my treat, my treat."

"Really? Hmm..." she paused and grinned. "Can we get Italian? Spaghetti or something? I only ever get udon or ramen, so something a little different would be fun." Her eyes were shining.

He smiled. "You got all excited again."

"Heehee, yup," she laughed happily, skipping forward. Gene realized that over the course of the day and their conversations he'd come to be able to read her fairly well. Sometimes she acted older beyond her years, but there were times, like now, when she acted her age. After all, she was only fifteen years old. He wondered if her maturity had come from living on her own or from being an orphan. People had always told him and his brother that they were wise, mature, or "had old eyes", but he'd never quite understood it until now. There was no other way to explain it—Mai simply did not act like a high school student most of the time.

"Then Italian it is." He laughed and winked at her, and Mai could not help but blush with his words. "This is our date, after all."

Knowing her cheeks were red and even more embarrassed for that fact, Mai averted her gaze. "I, um..."

"You already have someone you like, right?" He laughed and patted her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Mai, just teasing." Inwardly, however, he wondered why he had allowed this strange girl to have his friendship so easily and why he had such a strong desire to stay by her side.

...

Gene needn't have worried about asking (or convincing, if need be) Mai if he could stay with her; as they left the restaurant Mai said, hesitatingly, "So... do you have a place to stay for the rest of your trip here? You can stay at my apartment for as long as you need to, if you want."

"You don't mind?"

"Of course not." Mai said, pulling her hat down over her ears. "I have a spare key. It's the least I can do, right?"

Gene looked slightly puzzled over her choice of words, but shrugged and let his natural smile spread across his features. "I really appreciate it, you know."

She shrugged, ducking her head and looking at her boots. "I'm happy to help."

The restaurant was a short distance from the train station and so they walked there in the early evening, watching the street lights flicker on. They boarded the train as it arrived, squeezing between the people to find enough space for both of them to stand together. Gene grasped the handle from the ceiling with one hand, his other hand protectively resting on Mai's back. She swayed as the train began to move, her own grasp not quite as firm and he held her shoulder until she was steady.

_Hasn't this already happened before?_ Mai thought, glancing up at Gene. He smiled at her, silently, before turning his gaze away, trained on the advertisements on the wall.

_Didn't this happen, almost exactly, only with Naru?_

...

Mai, never a strategist, was not tremendously fond of Go and couldn't imagine that Gene would be content to play again (and win again) with such boring company. So instead, when they returned to the apartment, she pulled out an old version of Sugoroku and set it on the kotatsu. Gene had bought juice drinks and several snacks at the corner convenience store, his purchases soon taking up the space between the edge of the table and the board game. Gene drank his orange pineapple juice out of the bottle; Mai poured her honeydew pear drink in portions into a small glass to sip on. Mai didn't remember the rules of the game exactly, but after she reviewed the instruction pamphlet she was able to describe it sufficiently. Gene caught on very quickly.

"Oh, so it's similar to backgammon," he said, and grinning, he popped some wasabi peas into his mouth and they began to play.

"You don't have any homework or anything you need to be doing, right?" Gene asked, tossing the dice and after a quick assessment of the board, played his pieces accordingly.

Mai shook her head. "No, I finished all my assignments already." She rolled the dice and glanced up at him cautiously. "What are you going to do tomorrow?"

"Ah, I haven't really decided." Gene said in such a nonchalant tone that Mai had the impression he knew _exactly_ what he wanted to do tomorrow, he just didn't want to share the information. While she wanted to be nosy, she shrugged and left it at that—the last thing she wanted was to be too persistent and annoy him as a result.

"The zoo was a lot of fun today." Gene said, watching her move her pieces intently. "I'm surprised it wasn't so crowded. It was cool to see the giant panda."

"Yeah, Ling Ling is the zoo's biggest attraction." Mai agreed, smiling as she finished her move and passed the dice to Gene. He rolled and moved his pieces again, quickly, without hesitation.

"Oh, no, you're going to win on your next turn," she noticed with despair, her face falling.

Gene smirked. "With any luck, yes."

...

After Gene won the game they did not play again. Instead they first sat, and then lay on the floor, propped up on pillows and kept warm under the kotatsu. They talked late into the night, elaborating on conversations and stories they'd shared throughout the day. Gene asked Mai about the Ring horror movies—he'd seen a poster for _Ring 0_ and wondered if she'd like to see it with him. Mai had shuddered slightly but agreed, confessing that she actually enjoyed ghost stories. After her confession Gene took the opportunity to tell a rather gruesome and suspenseful tale. He was a master—evidently holding some passion for ghost stories himself—building the story up just the right way and drawing her into it—literally—causing a shriek and a laugh when he grabbed her ankle at the climax of the story.

Gradually their conversation moved toward more personal subjects: Mai asked Gene about his first two years of university classes and listened with rapt attention as he disclosed details she doubted he'd told anyone besides Naru. She discovered that a large part of the reason he had decided not to take classes that term was rooted in the fact that he did not like being the youngest person in the class and the subsequent attention that was drawn to him by that fact. It surprised her to hear that he was so self-conscious when his brother was nothing of the sort. Gene asked Mai about her parents and her childhood, and after hearing her stories, slowly admitted that he and his brother had been orphaned at a young age. Mai, feeling embarrassed for being so intrusive, quietly asked the questions she'd never asked Naru: asking him about the orphanage, their adoption and their relocation to England. When Gene spoke she knew he was being honest, and she felt guilty both for prying but also for never asking Naru those questions in the years she'd been with him.

"Today was fun, wasn't it?" Mai said sleepily after a long pause in their conversation.

"Mm," Gene said, and rising just enough to see him, she could see that his eyes were closed. His breathing gradually deepened.

Too comfortable to leave the warmth of the kotatsu, Mai retrieved her phone from her pocket, setting the alarm for the following morning. Pausing as she held the device, she shifted so she was lying on her stomach as she stared at the screen of the phone. Gene, in the photo she'd captured in Ueno Park, looked too much like Naru for her liking. He looked skeptical and wasn't exactly smiling, his dark hair almost covering his eyes. Her phone wasn't able to capture the dark blue of his gaze, but it did capture his smug, teasing expression.

She sighed, closing her eyes. There was still no word from Lin.

"_Where are you_?" She murmured quietly in Japanese. Closing the phone and dropping it to the side of her pillow, she let sleep overtake her.

...

Mai awoke the next morning to a persistent buzzing just under her left ear. She silenced the mobile phone quickly and sighed, dropping her head back on the pillow. She slowly sat up and nearly started when she saw she'd slept under the kotatsu with Gene.

She stood quietly and made her way to her bedroom, changing into her school uniform and gathering notebooks and folders into her school bag.

She was simultaneously making onigiri and drinking a cup of tea in the kitchen when she felt the weight of his eyes on her. She turned, cautiously meeting his gaze. He hadn't moved from where he had been sleeping, his head resting on his arm under the kotatsu blanket, toes sticking out on the other end. But he was awake now, his eyes open and calmly watching her.

Mai felt suddenly embarrassed to be held in his watchful gaze. She blushed, turning her head back to the rice that she was forming. "What is it?" She asked as she rolled and tossed the rice between her hands.

"Nothin'," Gene said lazily, closing his eyes.

Mai formed the last of the rice into onigiri and wrapped up her bento box, placing the extra rice balls on a plate. "Gene, there's some extra onigiri, if you want it." She said quietly. Glancing toward him she saw that his eyes were open again, the blue orbs dark and painfully familiar.

"Is that all you're eating today?" Gene frowned at her.

"N-no, I'll trade with some friends," Mai lied, flushing and looking away from him. He was giving her a look with narrowed eyes that mirrored a look she'd seen on his brother's face so many times. She looked at her watch and panicked. "Oh, I have to go. I'll be late if I don't." She hurried toward the door, pulling on her coat and stepping into her school loafers. "Here's my extra key, you can come and go as you please..." She placed the key next to the plate of onigiri and glanced behind her once more as she opened the door, smiling gently. "Have a good day, Gene."

The corners of his mouth lifted in a lop-sided grin, speaking to her in Japanese for the first time in the two days they'd spent together. "_You too, Mai-chan_."

...

It was a boring day at school for Mai. She excused herself from her friends, saying she didn't feel well, the girls giving each other anxious glances as Mai quietly, even morosely, sat at her desk, unwilling to participate with her classmates. Despite not getting quite enough sleep the night before, she was not tired in the least. She stared out the window during the lessons, half-heartedly listening to her teachers and wondering what Gene was doing on the crisp spring day. As she had suspected, the sun was out and there were only a few clouds, high in the sky. It was not a good day to be in school. With a warm jacket it would be a great day to go to the park or have a picnic.

Mai frowned. _A picnic_... For some reason it made her think of Naru. Once again she began to wonder why the two brothers were fighting. Even though she did not have good reason to believe so, her intuition told her Gene was angry because Naru had not accompanied him on his trip to Japan. It was certainly feasible that Gene had wanted to the two to take this trip together. Why Naru would have refused, she did not know and could not hazard a guess.

"Taniyama," a strict voice chastised, and she abruptly turned her gaze back to the front of the class. "Pay attention. Read the next passage, please, starting on page 37."

"Yes, sir," she said, rising to her feet and lifting her book, she began to read.

...

The day passed uneventfully until classes were finally over. Anxious to leave, Mai hurried through her cleaning duties, hardly listening to the chatter of her classmates around her. A sudden commotion caught her attention.

"Oh, look, there's a really cute boy waiting at the gate!"

"I've never seen him before, have you? Do you think he might be a transfer student?"

"I hope so! Maybe he'd be in our class!"

Mai, only vaguely interested by the stir, looked up to see three girls crowding around the window, giggling, and more of the girls in the class joining them to see. Mai turned her gaze out the window to the person in question. Her eyes immediately widened, recognizing the figure instantly. "Gene?" She exclaimed. "What is he doing here?"

"You know him?" One of the other girls accused.

Mai floundered. "Well, um, yes..."

Michiru bounced to Mai's side. "No wonder you've been so out of it today!" Her friend teased. "Why didn't you tell us you got such a cute boyfriend?"

"He's not my boyfriend," Mai said quickly, but the girls didn't seem to be listening.

"I'm so jealous," one girl sighed, while another clearly took offense at the idea.

"Where did you meet him?" She demanded, stalking toward Mai. "Did he ask you out?"

Another girl skipped toward her merrily. "You said his name is _Jiin_?" She pronounced the unfamiliar name carefully. "Is he a foreigner? He looks Japanese, though, doesn't he? Where's he from?"

"How many dates have you been on?"

"You've got the wrong idea," Mai quickly said, waving her hands in front of her face as the girls loomed over her, hungry for answers and details. At that moment her phone began to ring, and the girls immediately began to speculate that it was her boyfriend calling.

Mai managed to squeeze herself out of the crowd. Grabbing her coat and schoolbag, she ran from the room before anyone noticed her absence. Once she was a safe distance from the classroom she opened the phone. Gene _had_ called her, and left a message saying he would wait for her at the school until she was done for the day.

Just as she was about to put the phone back in her pocket, a small beep indicated that she had a new message. Her face brightened in anticipation: it was a message from Lin. She hurried to open it, and scanning the message quickly, her face fell.

Lin's message was a polite inquiry, asking what explanation she had given Gene on how she had met Naru. Mai, frowning as her thumbs moved quickly across the keypad, replied and gave the broad outlines of her story. Her frown deepening, she ended the message by asking curtly if he had heard from Naru.

Stuffing the phone into her pocket and hastily buttoning up her coat, she hurried out of the school toward Gene.

Gene's face brightened when he saw her and waved, calling out to her. "Mai-channnnn! Are you done for the day?" Mai couldn't help but cringe, knowing that the girls were probably watching from the classroom. No doubt she'd have to face rumors in the next few days.

"How are you?" Gene asked, grinning. "I was in the area so I figured I should come pick you up. Oh, and this is for you." He dropped a small plush lion into her hands. "I thought you might like it."

"Thank you," Mai said, beaming as she examined it. She had already forgotten about the gossiping girls. "It's so cute!" She looked up at him, grinning broadly, her eyes shining. "Thank you, Gene."

"It's nothing," he said quickly, averting his gaze. "Just something to remind you of our trip to the zoo."

"Of course," she giggled and took his elbow in her arm. "I'm starving! Let's go home. We'll stop by the store, I want to make curry tonight."

...

"What's the difference between Japanese and Indian curry, anyway?" Gene asked, peering into the bag of groceries. Mai had bought carrots, potatoes, an apple and an onion for the meal she was planning. She hadn't been able to afford it and so hadn't planned on buying any meat, but Gene had bought a piece of beef to add to their dinner as well.

"I dunno," Mai said, shrugging. "I guess Japanese curry is sweeter, somehow."

"You'll let me help out, right?"

"Gene, you've already helped so much. You're carrying the groceries for me and you _bought _the meat. It'd be rude to ask..."

"But I want to learn how you do it," Gene insisted, interrupting. "I have to learn _something _on this trip. I can make it for my mother when I go back to England. She'll be so proud of me."

Mai laughed. "Okay," she agreed. "We'll do it together."

Gene shifted the bag to his right hand, and stepping closer to her, put his left arm around her. "Thank you."

Mai felt her cheeks grow hot and she averted her gaze.

Gene chuckled softly and sighed happily. "I'm really glad I met you, Mai."

Mai felt a smile grow on her own lips as well. "Me too. I'm really glad, too."

Gene watched her carefully, wondering why the only word he could think to describe her, smiling with a light blush on her cheeks, was _cute_. He also began to ponder about the boy that held her current affections. "Tell me about school today. Do you have homework? Maybe I can help you with that, too." He winked at her. "Just not English homework. You probably know that even better than me."

"Don't be silly," she laughed. Comfortable once more, they walked down the street together, Mai sheltered under his arm.

They were half a block from her apartment when Mai suddenly stopped in her tracks, so quickly that Gene nearly stumbled, his arm sliding from her shoulders. He turned toward her, puzzled and frowning. "Mai, what's wrong?"

Mai, eyes wide and without the capacity to speak, hoped that Gene couldn't hear the sound of her heartbeat, thumping frantically in her chest. In front of her apartment, arms crossed across his chest as he waited beneath the lilac tree, stood a mirror image of the young man by her side.

Mai tried to breathe calmly, but her mind was madly trying to comprehend the situation. _Naru, what are you doing here? Why didn't Lin tell me you were here?_

Gene turned his head followed her gaze. His dark eyes hardened noticeably, Mai saw, as her eyes darted between the twins.

"Gene," Naru said loudly.

Gene walked forward slowly, closing the distance between the twins. He raised his arm and clasped his brother's shoulder. "Noll," he said. His smile was thin and there was a detectable edge to his voice. "I'm glad you decided to join me. Did you change your mind?"

"No. My views on the matter are still quite firm." Naru said firmly. "But I'll help you," he said calmly, his expression lightening, "because you are my brother and this is not something you should undertake alone."

Mai stood dumbly, staring at the two brothers. The hardness in Gene's eyes seemed to soften immediately, and she had a feeling these were exactly the words Gene wanted to hear. "You shouldn't compromise your values just for me."

"I would never do such a thing." A small smirk twitched Naru's lips. "Don't get too full of yourself."

"Of course, _you're_ the egoist, not me. How'd you find me, anyway?"

"I asked Lin to help," Naru shrugged. "He was able to locate the apartment of your new.. _friend_.." Naru turned his gaze to Mai, and she felt a tightness in her chest as he looked over her, wondering what he was going to say. "Mai Taniyama. It's nice to see you again."

"L-likewise," Mai stumbled. The lump in her throat made it near impossible to speak.

"Thank you for looking after my brother." He tilted his head politely.

"Of.. of course."

Gene turned apologetically to Mai, handing her the bag of groceries he'd been carrying. "Sorry, Mai. I was looking forward to helping you with the curry, but you'll have to go ahead and do it without me." He winked at her and brushed her cheek gently with the back of his fingers. "I'll call you later, though, 'kay?"

Mai stood, shocked and completely still as she watched the two brothers depart. Her heart was still pounding in her chest. She sucked in her breath as Naru glanced over his shoulder, looking back at her and meeting her gaze.

His eyes were sad, offering to her a silent apology. She forced a small smile and nodded to him, knowing they couldn't yet speak. As he turned his gaze away from hers the tears she'd been holding in finally spilled onto her cheeks.

...

* * *

A/N: Thank you for reading! I'd be very happy to know what you thought, so please leave a review or drop me a note. Any sort of feedback is appreciated. Until Part IV!


	4. Part IV

_**Part IV**_

Mai Taniyama was making curry.

It should have made her happy, to see their reunion. Instead, watching the twin brothers walking away had given her a strange feeling of helplessness, so she hadn't lingered on the street. She'd run hastily up the stairs to her apartment and changed out of her uniform and into her tracksuit, her eyes dry by the time she began her dinner preparations. She no longer cared if she actually ate curry for dinner that night, but the ingredients were there in front of her and cooking provided an activity to keep her hands and mind busy. Besides, she had no desire for instant ramen and her pocket money was getting low, so getting take out was out of the question. As far as she could tell, she'd have to live off the 3,200 yen she had in her wallet for the next two weeks, waiting for the next check from the firm that possessed her parents' dwindling accounts. She hoped it wouldn't be a problem—rent and other bills weren't due for another three weeks and her monthly train pass was new. As long as her purchases were only food or the occasional necessity, she knew she would be fine.

As she chopped the vegetables, the onions and beef already sizzling in the pan, she couldn't help the occasional glance toward her mobile. It sat still and silent on the top of the kotatsu where she'd left it in plain view. It never made a sound. She found her mood growing sour as the evening wore on because of the fact.

She knew it was irrational. Naru certainly couldn't call her, not when they had to hide their relationship and maintain the pretense that they had only met once. Gene had no reason to call her, either. At least not tonight. He'd left his small suitcase, packed neatly and zipped shut in the corner of the room, but he obviously didn't need it if he hadn't taken it earlier. No doubt he could come by tomorrow, after the twins' long last reunion... well, long last for _one _of them.

She knew—with a slight amount of pride, though she took no pleasure in the thought—that her intuition about the situation had been right. Gene was obviously not just sightseeing, as he had told her, and from the brothers' discussion earlier, it was probably more than just an exorcism or visiting mediums. Whatever Gene was up to, the two would be busy discussing it and would have no time—and no reason—to include her in their plans. Even if Naru wanted to keep her in the loop, he couldn't. Considering that it was Gene, he may even be hesitant to discuss it with her. That last thought was painful and she tried not to think about it, scowling as she all but pulverized the apple, chopping it into very small pieces.

Even if the twins were preoccupied, however, she wanted Lin to call her. No doubt Naru had told the man to stay as uninvolved as possible—otherwise, why hadn't he called her before to tell her that Naru had already come to Japan? Obviously Naru had asked Lin for her account of the story she'd told Gene, and Lin had told Naru that Gene was staying with Mai for him to know to wait for them there. She knew, with annoyed resignation, that if Naru's judgment had guided him to such a conclusion it was probably the best course of action for the situation. Naru knew Gene better than anyone. And as Lin had said, "the task at hand was to save Gene's life." Mai saw the reason with going along with Naru's plan, whatever his plan may be. But she was lonely and wanted to talk to _someone_ and couldn't help but foolishly wish for someone to call her. She desperately wanted to call up Ayako just to chat about anything—anything at all—but Ayako didn't know her. Nor Bou-san, Masako, Yasuhara, and John, wherever they were. She could call Michiru or Keiko, but the girls felt like strangers to her. She could hardly remember how a fifteen year old girl was supposed to act.

That left Lin. Besides Naru, he was her only connection to the secret future. However, if Naru had asked him to stay quiet she certainly wouldn't hear anything from the man until this was all over and sorted out—whenever _that_ would be. Was it even possible? Would things ever go back to normal?

For the second time that evening she found tears, this time from frustration, forming in her eyes.

...

As if by unspoken agreement, after the two left Mai standing in front of her apartment building, the brothers walked to the corner, flagged a taxi, and went to the hotel Naru had reserved. Gene was obviously very comfortable in the company of his brother, but his own presence was both a comfort and unfamiliar to Naru. Seeing his brother's lively face had summoned strong emotions from his core, feelings that were both fragile and unsteady. He wanted to wrap his arms around the boy, to laugh and cry with relief and astonishment. But he could do neither of those things. Instead, he walked by his side silently, feeling clumsy and awkward.

"Seems nice enough," Gene said blandly as they passed the fountain in the wide lobby.

Naru smiled wryly, hitting the key for the elevator. He'd barely noticed the hotel when he had first arrived—he'd asked Lin to make the arrangements. Lin complied, of course, and his selection of a hotel near Mai's apartment was certainly not a coincidence. "I thought it would be easier than a traditional ryokan."

"Hey, I'm not complaining. I enjoy a luxurious hotel as much as anyone else. Though it does seem a little... extravagant."

"Don't worry, we're in their cheapest room." Walking down the hall, Naru reached in his pocket and pulled out the key cards to the room. He passed one to his twin as he opened the door.

"Ah, home sweet home," Gene laughed, dropping his knapsack on the far bed, noticing that his brother's luggage was already set neatly by the first. He took off his coat and draped it on the back of the chair. Sitting down, he began to rummage through his bag, pulling out a sweatshirt and donning the lighter article of clothing. "So how are you finding Japan so far, Noll?"

Naru paused, taking the time to place his own coat on a hanger in the closet. What had been his original impression when he first came to this country? Blinded by the death of his brother, he had all but hated everything about the crowded, foreign city at first. Gradually, however, he began to appreciate it. He shrugged. "It's a little warmer than I thought it would be."

Gene snorted. "Is that all?" He stood, stretching his arms behind his back as he went to the window. Pulling back the curtain, he gazed down to the street below. His eyes narrowing, he began to recall the route of the taxi. He could see where the street she lived on crossed the main road, but Mai's apartment building was hidden behind other taller structures. Though they'd driven in the cab, it was certainly within walking distance. "It was a lot colder two days ago," he admitted. "When I came into Tokyo it was raining and hovering around freezing. Yesterday and today were rather pleasant, though. Looking at the forecast, this warm spell should continue."

"Lin said you ran into Mai... two nights ago?"

"Yeah. What luck, right? To run into someone you knew," he said, smiling as he turned back toward his brother. "Lost my hotel room and she appeared. Crazy coincidence."

Naru, sitting on the bed, his back against the wall, raised an eyebrow, wondering if Mai had invited Gene to stay with her or if he had made the request himself. "Yeah. Did you spend both days together?" It was odd that the sentence made him uncomfortable.

"No, not today. She had school. Yesterday we went out."

"What did you do? Go somewhere fun?" He asked, trying not to sound terribly interested.

Gene shrugged, flopping down onto the other bed, crossing his arms under his chin. "Ueno Zoo, and then we just sorta hung out in Ueno Park. Walked around. I took her out for dinner. Nothing much."

Naru forced himself to relax the tension that was gathering in his neck. Jealousy? There was no need for him to be jealous, he knew. It wasn't rational. But it was difficult to contain. He almost could not stop himself. Gene rolled over and reached for his bag, zipping open a side pocket.

"Don't you have any other luggage?" Naru queried.

"I left it at Mai's," he shrugged. Pulling out his mobile phone, he stood and sat down on the bed next to his brother, their shoulders touching. "It's just some extra clothes. I'll be fine for tonight. I still have her key. We can get it tomorrow."

It annoyed Naru, somewhat, that Gene hadn't returned the spare key when they'd left Mai earlier, or taken the suitcase. While it was a pretense that he himself could meet her with, he had the feeling that Gene was taking advantage of the situation as well. The boy in question interrupted his thoughts, flipping open the phone and holding it out in front of his face.

"Here, I took some pictures at the zoo..." he began to scroll through them, and Naru felt a smile tug at his lips. It was an odd assortment of animals Gene had chosen to capture. The Asian black bear, a kangaroo, a sheep with huge curving horns, and an okapi. To Naru's eyes, the mobile was incredibly dated, and the image from the built-in camera was not very high-quality. It was nothing compared to the camera on his own iPhone, the phone he would have years in the future. That said, Gene had always had a penchant for photographs and despite the limitations from the device the photos were well-done. He could not have said what it was, whether the timing or the angle, but something about the photos was naturally engaging to the viewer. The smile wavered on Naru's face as the next photo came up, a picture of Mai.

Gene hooked his arm around his neck, a playful frown on his lips. "Honestly, I'm a little disappointed that you didn't tell me about her. I mean, who knew we'd all meet again. But still! You should've told me you made such a cute acquaintance. I think I like her."

Naru tried to remain expressionless, but he felt the blood slip from his cheeks as he wished he hadn't heard those last words.

Gene didn't seem to notice the change in his brother's color and changed the subject. "You flew into Tokyo today?"

"Yes." Naru said, his voice tight. It wasn't exactly jealousy he felt. No—it was insecurity. Something he had never before felt concerning Mai. It made sense, of course. He should have known that Gene would be instantly drawn toward Mai. As brothers they had always shared many tastes, so it was natural that Gene would also like her. Not to mention that Gene and Mai shared many similarities. He'd sought her out, even as a spirit.

Gene raised an eyebrow. "Do Martin and Luella know you're here?"

"No.. Lin does. He'll tell them." He closed his eyes. Mai had chosen him, but try as he might, he could not keep the thought from the back of his mind, wondering if she would change her mind now that she had a choice.

His brother clicked his tongue in disapproval. "That wasn't very considerate."

Naru shrugged, not wishing to divulge the real reason he had left the country in such a hurry, anxious to be reunited with the two people most precious to him. "I wanted to surprise you."

Gene seemed to find the thought amusing and grinned, taking up his coat again. "You seem tired."

"Not.. particularly. It's just that feeling after along flight. Lethargic."

"I sat for a long time today, too. Wanna take a walk and stretch our legs? It'll wake you up and help you sleep tonight."

...

Mai felt considerably calmer after she had finished cooking. Her earlier appetite had all but disappeared, so she ate a very small dinner and went about the task of cleaning the kitchen and putting the leftovers away. It did not take long, and after she had finished she sat down at the kotatsu, picking up her school bag and sighing as she envisioned the school work inside. She had no desire to do homework, and doubted she would even be able to concentrate while she was so distracted.

She felt uneasy, alone and confined in the small apartment. The sound of pipes creaking, of neighbors audible through the walls, and the flickering of the lights was unsettling. Deciding that she needed to get her mind off things, she pushed aside the textbooks and stood. Slipping into her sneakers and zipping her sweatshirt up to her chin, she left the apartment. She hurried down the stairs, reached the street, and began to walk. After a moment she began to run.

...

"Have you started your research on them, or have you just been sightseeing?" Naru asked Gene, his hands in his pockets. They turned away from the busy street that the hotel was located on to a smaller, quieter side street.

"Just today. Mostly I've been going around so I can tell Luella and Martin about it. I don't want them to get suspicious, so I've been trying to do the legitimate business first. So far I've had five experiences that I can report back to SPR." Gene ticked off events on his fingers. "I went to Gunma Prefecture for two days to meet the "medium" in Midori—you were right about him, by the way, a total fake—so I ended up just sightseeing. I spent two whole days in Maebashi."

Naru looked amused. "I heard about it from Luella. She thought you were having a great time."

"I bet she did." Gene laughed. "While I was in Maebashi, though, I met a kid who was being followed by a mischievous spirit. Nothing too nasty, so it was easy to tell it to leave the poor guy alone. The kid couldn't have been more than six years old." He sighed. "So at least it wasn't a complete waste of time. It'd be nice to meet a genuine medium, though."

"What about the woman in Oume? And Hara Masako, the one with the show?"

"Well... the woman in Oume was... no." Gene curled his lip in distaste. "She wasn't a medium. She was just very absorbed in the occult and was convinced she had something she didn't." He sighed slightly. "I wanted to meet with Hara Masako today but it seems she's out of town, filming something for her show." He snorted. "She may be the only legitimate medium in Japan, as far as I can tell. So much for all that. I did manage two other exorcisms, though. I went to Kodaira to solve the mystery of a simple poltergeist." He turned to his brother expectantly, eyes twinkling.

"It was the stepson who was causing all the problems, wasn't it?" Naru said coolly.

Gene grinned and gave his brother a playful noogie. "Exactly. I knew you'd look over my notes if I left them out, you nosy git." He laughed and put his arm around Naru's neck playfully, but his face sobered and he tightened his grip so that the two brothers' heads were touching, his hand gently pressed against Naru's temple. "I'm glad you're not mad, Noll," he admitted quietly.

"Of course I'm not." Naru said softly. How could he be angry when he was standing next to his brother after sixteen years without him? Their argument had been petty and he hadn't been very upset, even the first time. Gene had taken it harder than he had. After all, he'd been the one who refused to come to Japan. He'd been the one who hadn't stood by him when he should have the most. And so Gene had left the country while he sulked in silence. "I'm sorry for making you angry."

"Yeah, you did." Gene chuckled softly. "I thought you were being a real knobhead. But I was an ass about it. Sorry."

"I meant what I said before. Even if it's not important to me, it is to you and I need to support you."

Gene ruffled Naru's hair gently before releasing him. "Damn straight you do." He smiled and continued his narrative, but his voice was softer than before and his facial expression was lighter, even relieved. "The other exorcism was in Tachikawa. The daughter at a shrine found a way to revive the dead. Her lover died and she turned him into a temporary zombie," he laughed, and seeing the alarmed expression form on Naru's face, reassured him quickly. "It was harmless. Nothing like in those movies." A small smile quirked across Naru's face, remembering when Mai had forced him to watch _Shaun of the Dead_. She'd been all but horrified that he hadn't already seen it, the first time he'd lived through its theatrical release. Gene did not seem to notice the change in his twin's expression. "It was so simple even _you _could have figured it out," he teased. "Oh, and you'll find this interesting. I went to a quote-unquote "_psychic research_" place that was based in Sagamihara."

Naru lifted his eyebrows in curiosity. "What was it like?"

"Kind of a dump. They didn't seem to know what they were doing. Then again, when you don't have a lot of funding and you can't buy any appropriate equipment..." Gene's voice trailed off and he shrugged, lifting his hands. "Didn't look like they even did any research, though. There's plenty of resources you can get from the library. Any decent library's going to have_ something_."

"You've been busy." Naru said.

Gene laughed. "I suppose so. I've only just started on my own research... after the plans with Miss Hara fell through, I spent all day at the library."

"Find anything interesting?"

"Yes, in fact. _Very_ interesting. I'll... tell you about it later." He paused, his eyes distant as he gazed at the darkening sky. It was quickly approaching twilight, the bright lights from an airplane blinking in a steady line toward Narita International Airport. "A good beginning for today, I suppose. It is a little disappointing to think that sightseeing is pretty much over. I can't say I haven't enjoyed it. The last thing I want to do is take a day trip to Kyoto or Nara. I'd love to see all the famous shrines there." Gene's face brightened and he smiled. "Why don't we see if we can get Mai to show us around? We can go on the weekend. I'm sure she'd love to join us." He seemed a little too excited at the prospect, Naru thought. Or was it that he just really wanted to see Kyoto and Nara? "It was fun going around Tokyo with her. She's a great tour guide."

Naru nodded but remained silent, wondering what the "very interesting" piece of information could be. "What was it that you—"

"Speak of the devil," Gene interrupted, a grin forming on his face.

Naru followed his brother's gaze. Down the street on the opposite corner Mai had appeared. For whatever reason her younger appearance seemed all the more startling to him, watching her unnoticed from afar. And she was lovely. He wondered briefly why he hadn't immediately noticed Mai's appeal when he met her the first time. Answering his own question, he rationalized that he'd been only sixteen and had other pressing matters on his mind. At this moment she was fifteen years old and jogging lightly down the street in an old school track suit, but he thought she was as adorable as she'd ever been, ever would be.

A peculiar thought suddenly struck him. _If I had a daughter, would she grow up to look that beautiful? Would she run with such confidence, hold her head high, just like her mother?_ He wondered vaguely. His brother's voice shoved the thoughts from his mind.

"Mai!" Gene called, waving. "What are you doing?"

Mai turned abruptly, jolting to a stop. Her face brightened to see them, a grin spreading wide across her features. Even from the distance they could see how her face lit up. She reversed her direction and ran toward them with an even gait. "N... Oliver! Gene!"

"What are you up to?" Gene asked, noticing with unease that Mai's eyes lingered on his brother's face for a moment longer than he deemed necessary. "I didn't know you were a runner."

"Oh, um, well, I'm not," Mai said, looking embarrassed, tapping her toe on the concrete. "Sometimes I just like to get... out and about, is all."

Naru gazed at her evenly and calmly, trying to keep his expression neutral. He was fully aware that Mai only ever ran if she was frustrated or upset, sick of sitting still with the thoughts in her head. In short, she ran to forget her troubles.

She met his gaze tentatively. "What are you two up to tonight? It's a nice evening for a walk, huh...?"

"Why don't you walk with us for a while, Mai." Naru said, much to the surprise of his brother. "We were just discussing that we might go sightseeing in Kyoto. If you were free, perhaps you could show us all your favorite spots."

Mai grinned again. "Of course! I'd love to!"

Gene, as if annoyed at being left out from their exchange, said quickly, "Great, it's settled then. We'll pay for everything, of course. It'll be like an all-expenses paid vacation." He smiled at her and touched her arm. Mai did not seem to take notice of the casual gesture but his brother did. "Everything is on us."

"Where do you want to go?" Mai asked, tapping her finger against her chin as she thought aloud. "I haven't been to Kyoto in a while, but Kinkaku-ji and Ginkaku-ji are always favorites, and, oh! Definitely Kiyomizu-dera and Fushimi Inari-taisha," she said, beaming at the brothers. "We can walk the Philosopher's Path and go around Gion and Pontocho..." she hesitated. Naru wasn't, but Gene was still a teenager. "Maybe that's not interesting to boys, though. All the girls love to see the maiko dressed up, but..." her voice trailed off and she eyed the two brothers, both who were staring at her blankly.

"We'll let you know if there's anywhere in particular we'd like to go, otherwise you are free to direct us as you wish," Naru said smoothly. He'd never gone sightseeing in Kyoto, himself, and was looking forward to what Mai might come up with to keep them occupied.

"Mn, okay." Mai smiled at him warmly.

"Are you headed back to your apartment?" Gene asked, noticing for the second time in their conversation the looks and the air of a silent, mutual understanding between Mai and his brother. An unpleasant feeling that he was missing something important began to spread through his body.

"Oh, um, yeah."

"We'll walk you," the older brother said, and Mai smiled gratefully at him.

"Oh, thank you, but I wouldn't want to be a bother..."

"Don't protest," Naru said simply, and she nodded quickly.

"Mn. Okay. ...Thank you."

The three walked down the street and a stiff breeze swept between them. Mai wrapped her arms around herself. Now that she had stopped running, her body temperature had returned to normal and the lazy breeze went directly through her knit sweatshirt, chilling her even further as it hit the lingering sweat on her skin.

Noticing her shiver immediately, Naru frowned. "You're cold now, aren't you?" He chastised. "Idiot, you should have said something."

"I'll be okay, sorry. It's not too much farther..." Mai smiled and rubbed her fingers together. Her cheeks were rosy. "When I was jogging I was really warm, but now that I've stopped it became chilly again." She shivered slightly as the wind picked up again.

Even as Naru made the move to remove his jacket, Gene had hurriedly removed his scarf and wrapped it around her neck. Naru's hands stilled and his eyes hardened.

"Mai, you need to take care of yourself." Gene smiled at her gently, his gaze soft and compassionate. She almost stopped in her tracks. It was exactly one of the gentle smiles he'd given her in her dreams when he had been dead. She hadn't even noticed they'd been missing until this reminder of what exactly those smiles were. "You can't let yourself catch cold."

"Thank you," she mumbled softly, looking embarrassed. Only when Gene had turned his eyes away did she glance at Naru, trying to catch his gaze. His face was turned away, but she could see that he was scowling.

...

It had been a rather awkward goodbye at Mai's apartment. They'd followed her up the stairs and after Gene took his suitcase and returned the key they stood in a brief silence in the door. Naru told her they'd keep her informed as to their plans; Gene promised vehemently that they'd call her every day and try to meet up again before the end of the week. When Gene made no attempt to take back his scarf, Naru reminded the two loudly. Mai, flushing deeply, hastily removed the article, apologizing that she had been so careless and almost forgotten. Gene had simply laughed nonchalantly, reminding her that they'd see each other later and she could have returned it then.

From her apartment they returned to the hotel. Gene seemed hesitant to resume their earlier topic, instead moving quickly between subjects of various things he had seen or heard on his trip. It was obvious that he was thoroughly enjoying his stay in Japan and enjoyed telling his brother about it. Naru did not press him until dinner.

"You said you found something today. Care to illuminate me?" he asked as they sat down in the quiet hotel restaurant.

Gene exhaled loudly. "Yes. About that. Let's order first," he said, noticing the waitress approach them and he picked up the menu as she placed glasses of water on the table. He scanned it quickly before making his decision. "I'd like the Mediterranean pizza, with the arugula side salad. And a cup of decaf. Please." He smiled pleasantly at the young woman, who seemed quite breathless to be serving two identical handsome young men. She nodded wordlessly as she wrote it down.

"The walnut penne with the tofu and shiitake salad, please," Naru said shortly. "And a cup of Earl Grey."

The waitress didn't seem to know which to be more surprised about: the young men or their sophisticated food preferences, so she simply nodded again and left. Gene turned his attention back to his brother. Naru finally spoke. "What _did _you find at the library today? Did you..." his voice trailed off, hesitant to continue.

"He's dead." Gene paused, rubbing his eyebrow with his forefingers quickly and then dropped his hand to the table, sighing. Naru lowered his gaze and the two sat silently as the waitress brought their drinks. "It's not that much of a surprise, I guess," Gene continued after the woman had left. "We always assumed he was, anyway... but now I know for certain. Ichirou Nilson has been dead for sixteen years."

Naru sighed and rested his cheek against his knuckles of one hand, reaching for the tea with the other. It was true, that they had suspected this. Ever since he could remember, he and Gene had speculated on the possible fate of the man. As they hadn't been speaking the first time, Naru did not actually know anything Gene's search and had never known what—if any—the fruits of his labor had been. "How..?"

"In the earthquake." Gene's lips twisted into a grimace. "Or more specifically, the landslide of Mt. Ontake it caused. You were right to think that he had died before we were born." He let out a bitter chuckle. "An autopsy confirmed that he died on September 14th, even though they didn't recover his body until the beginning of October." Gene paused to lift his cup of coffee, sipping quietly. "But," he continued, returning the coffee to the table and reaching into his pocket, from which he pulled a folded piece of paper. He opened it quickly and passed it across the table. "_This_ is something we didn't know. I was going through an archive of articles about the earthquake when I found _this _coincidence."

Naru picked up the paper and read the English heading. _Markus I. Nilson, Victim of Otaki Earthquake's Landslide_. His eyes skimmed the article before finding the paper's name and date. _New Haven Register, October 8th, 1984. _His mouth became dry. "You mean..."

"Yes." Gene had a satisfied gleam in his eye. "While he was living in Japan he went by his _middle_ name, Ichirou," he continued. "Knowing his _real_ name made it very easy to find him and his parents. Lukas and Satoko Nilson of New Haven, Connecticut."

The waitress returned with their salads and placed a basket of rolls on the table. Gene took a roll and passed it to his brother before taking his own. He picked up his butter knife and slowly, methodically sliced the bread and smoothed a small amount of butter on the inside. "To think that yesterday we didn't even know if my namesake was alive or dead." As he took a bite of the bread he reached into his pocket again, removing multiple papers that had been folded together. He unfolded the papers, smoothing the creases with his left hand as he studied it.

From across the table, eating his own roll in silence, Naru could see the top paper easily and had immediately recognized it. The doctor had written quickly, but the characters were crisp and clear. 渋谷一郎. Shibuya Ichirou, born on September 19th, 1984. He knew what the paper beneath would be. It was almost identical in every aspect of the form, save for that one character. Completely identical but instead the name recorded was 渋谷一也, Shibuya Kazuya. And surely, the final, hidden paper beneath that was a certificate of death. 渋谷治美, it read on the top of that final sheet. Shibuya Harumi. She had died just twenty-eight hours after the birth of her twins.

"Where do we go from here?" Naru asked quietly.

Gene swallowed a forkful of salad and nodded quickly. "Now that we're both here, one of us can continue the trail on Markus and the other can start looking up Harumi. We can find out if her parents are still alive. I'd like to contact the hospital, too."

"What do we do when we've found them?" Naru asked, sighing. "Where do you intend to go from this, Gene?"

Gene frowned, stabbing a piece of his salad with his fork. "Admit it, Noll, you're just as curious about this as I am."

"Yes," Naru said reluctantly. "I _am_ curious. But my curiosity is much different than yours. When we've identified our grandparents what do we do then? I suppose you want to plan a trip to New Haven next."

Gene remained silent for a moment. "I don't know," he said quietly, sounding sullen. "There is always the question of why we had blood relations but ended up in that orphanage anyway."

"Will knowing the reason why really make any difference? Do you plan on turning your back on Martin and Luella?" Even to his own ears, his voice sounded both accusatory and childish, and Naru sighed, seeing the hard look that instantly formed in Gene's eyes. His brother ignored him and the table was quiet but for the sound of their forks moving the crisp salads from the plates to their mouths.

"Sorry, I'm just.. hungry, and tired." Naru mumbled, focusing firmly on the salad. Gene had never stood for his lectures. "I don't mean to sound so..."

"Then eat, stupid," Gene chastised, and the atmosphere lightened between them. Their meals arrived and Gene dug in to his personal-sized pizza with relish. "Oh, this is good, Noll. Here, try some." He deposited a piece on the edge of Naru's plate of pasta and speared several pieces of penne with his fork, popping it in his mouth. "That's really good, too," he said, swallowing. "I'll eat whatever you don't want."

"Help yourself," Naru said, a small smile lifting his lips. Gene had always been quick to judge him, but he was also quick to forgive—something he believed he himself had never possessed.

Gene continued to eat off his plate and eventually a new, unrelated conversation began.

...

His limbs and joints had begun to ache from the long day, so when they returned to their room Naru took an after-dinner shower, standing under the warm water to soothe the soreness. When he had finally pulled himself from the luxury of the water and dressed, he took a book from his luggage and lounged on the hotel bed, reading while Gene took his own shower. Neither had ever been the type to dawdle in the bathroom, but tonight both took their time. Naru noticed it had already been an hour since they returned to the room following dinner when the water from the second shower shut off. The room became quiet, and he could faintly hear him humming to himself, the sounds magnified in the tiled room. Gene finally returned to the room, rubbing his neck with a towel, considering his brother in silence.

"You... and Mai..." Gene began, sitting down at the edge of the bed.

Naru looked up from his book, waiting for him to continue and not knowing exactly what he would say if he did.

Gene frowned, looking away. He didn't know what to say to his younger brother, not knowing how to put his suspicions into words. There was something about their familiarity that was very deeply ingrained, something that couldn't possibly have come about in a matter of days, let alone hours. But if Noll had told him that they had only met during Mai's school trip, he would believe him. There was no reason for his brother to lie.

"Nothing," Gene said, standing up suddenly and moving to the window, looking out onto the night street. "It's nothing." He remembered how Mai had stopped in her tracks when she had seen him. What had been the expression on her face? Surprise, certainly, but there had been something else. He couldn't decipher the second meaning.

The two were silent for several minutes. "It's incredible you were able to find out so much in only one day," Naru finally said quietly, setting his book on his stomach as he gazed at his brother.

Gene shrugged, turning and leaning against the window sill. "You were always a more dedicated researcher than I. Now that we're working together, I imagine things will progress quite quickly."

"When we find them, our grandparents, do you want to contact them?"

Gene shrugged again. "I suppose so. But we'll talk about it when we're at that point." He stooped, opening his bag and pulled out a cd walkman.

Once again, the dated technology was a surprise to Naru. He couldn't remember exactly when mp3 players became the norm, nor when he'd seen an iPod for the first time, the devices soon becoming an international phenomenon. The portable cd player had definitely fallen into decline in the future.

Gene opened a cd booklet and sat next to his brother, pulling the earphones between them, inserting one into each of their ears.

"What do you want to listen to?" Gene questioned.

"Whatever's fine. What did you bring?"

"Mm... Radiohead, Badly Drawn Boy, the Best of Blur, some Presidents, Coldplay, a couple classical cds: Rachmaninov, Phillip Glass, Mahler..." Gene paged through the booklet. "Oh, I picked this up at a secondhand book store in Maebashi." He pulled out a cd and inserted it into the walkman. He passed the booklet to Naru, who turned it over in his hands as the music started. Acoustic guitar, followed by a woman's voice.

Bonnie Pink: he recognized the name. While he didn't know if Mai had had this exact disc, she had certainly owned other albums by this artist. She'd once claimed it was good practice for her language skills, as the Japanese artist often sang in English. A wistful smile crossed his lips. That had been a long time ago.

"You're thinking about her, aren't you?" Gene suddenly said, taking the booklet from his younger brother.

"Who?"

"Mai." Gene frowned at him, tapping his forehead with his finger. "I see it up here."

Naru shrugged, closing his eyes. Between their psychic connection as twins and his own intuition, Gene had always been able to see the broad outline of his thoughts, while he himself had never been able to see what his brother was thinking outside of logical, situational reasoning and lucky guesses. To pinpoint his thoughts of Mai indicated Gene had been somewhat preoccupied with her, himself. Naru knew he needed to tell Gene everything as soon as possible and the fact that he could give something away by his mere thoughts reiterated the fact. "I'm thinking about a lot of things. What you found about our father, what we're going to do tomorrow. Taking a trip to Kyoto this weekend, everything."

Gene said nothing, biting on the skin of his index finger, wondering if he was witnessing something unusual and bizarre; if it could be possible that his brother also had feelings for that girl.

The two lay next to each other, listening to the cd together in the quiet room. They would both fall asleep in that position, and when Naru awoke, hours later in the deep of the night, he rose soundlessly and purposefully from the bed. He tucked the cd player away and pulled a sheet over his brother before going into the bathroom.

When he had relieved himself and returned to the room, he saw that his brother was still sleeping soundly. Without hesitation, he took one of the room keys from the desk, slung his jacket over his shoulders and silently left the room.

...

Mai awoke as a body curled around hers, a warm torso pressed against her back and an arm sliding around her body, a gentle hand resting on her forearm. His breath was warm on her neck and he squeezed her shoulder. For less than a second she panicked, wide eyes searching the darkness, and then quickly relaxed. She recognized his touch just as she recognized his face and voice.

"Naru," she murmured, her eyes drifting closed and her lips curving in a smile.

He exhaled and rested his forehead on the back of her neck, pulling her body closer into his. "Mai," he sighed. "I'm sorry."

"What are you doing here?"

"The middle of the night seemed to be the most convenient option to talk at the moment." He said dryly. "Why, are you complaining?"

"Of course not." She didn't think she'd ever appreciated hearing his sarcasm so much before. "How did you get in?"

"I pocketed your spare key when we were leaving. When you and Gene were preoccupied with the scarf. You left it out on the table. Sorry."

"That's fine. When I couldn't find it I was actually hoping you'd taken it. But won't Gene be suspicious if he finds out you're gone?"

"If he wakes up. He was always a very sound sleeper. The hotel isn't far from here so I won't be gone long." Naru paused. "He knows.. something. Suspects something between us. I suppose," he sighed, "I should tell him sooner rather than later. Unfortunately, now's not a very good time." He continued, softer, and Mai could hear the frown in his voice. "I would like to explain everything, somehow. Show him everything that I saw in the future. I don't know if I should, but.. as soon as possible.." his voice trailed off and he sighed and nuzzled into her skin. "You smell nice, Mai."

"Naru?"

"Hm?" His lips touched her neck gently.

Mai closed her eyes, his caress comforting and electrifying at the same time. She struggled to focus her thoughts into coherent sentences. "Why didn't you come to Japan with him in the first place? What is he doing here? It's obviously not just sightseeing, and it's more than just visiting mediums, isn't it?"

But Naru didn't answer her, instead holding her tightly, his hand tracing her body from her elbow up to her shoulder, down her side and to her hips. He kissed the ridge of her ear tenderly, his roaming hand returning past her rear to slide under her shirt, tracing the skin of her stomach. Her breathing quickened and he moved his lips down her jaw before taking her lips passionately in his own.

As he kissed her he shifted their positions so he was on top of her, one hand under her neck and the other cupping her rear. Her hand slid beneath his shirt and she pulled his body into her own, pressing herself against him and encouraging his wandering hands as she returned his kisses forcefully. When he pulled his lips from hers she was breathing heavily, eyes half-lidded with desire. "Should've brought some condoms," he lamented, smirking as he saw the embarrassed expression that soon followed his words.

"Naru," Mai blushed and averted her gaze. She had never been very comfortable discussing the sexual side of their relationship. In that way, she ruefully admitted to herself, she was just as immature as her fifteen-year old body. They'd had intimate moments in their past (in their future) but now that she was a teenager again it seemed wrong, somehow. "I don't think that would've been a good idea," she muttered.

"No," he agreed, "probably not." He lowered his mouth to hers, kissing her hungrily. Her fingers snaking through his hair, she let out a soft moan as his fingers touched a sensitive spot.

When he released her lips she opened her eyes, feeling dazed. "Naru?" She asked.

"Sorry," he said shortly, turning his gaze away and sitting up, pulling himself from her side. "I just... You're right. This probably isn't a good idea. I should probably go before we do something stupid."

He turned back to her as she took his hand. "Don't go yet, Naru," she pleaded. "Just... for a little longer. Somehow it feels like I haven't seen you in a long time, and..." her voice trailed off. "I'm being selfish, sorry," she mumbled quietly.

"Don't say that," he murmured quietly, slowly lying back down by her side, his head propped against his hand. He exhaled as she nestled into his side and closed his eyes, putting his arm around her. His desire was still there, but the urgency was ebbing away. That she was here, whole and in his arms was a comfort in itself. "I'm sorry for being so distant today."

"It's okay, Naru. We do what we have to do."

"I made you cry."

"Did not."

"Don't lie."

"Just because I was crying doesn't mean you were the cause. It isn't always about you, Naru." She retorted, smiling at him.

"I still feel responsible."

The smile wavered and slipped from her face. "If anything, I'm to blame, aren't I?"

Naru pressed his lips together. "I don't want you to say it like that."

Neither wanted to breach the subject—of that day, of what he had done to bring them to the current circumstances. Mai did not feel comfortable to speak of it and he, likewise, was unwilling. He regretted the accident that had almost killed her—of course he regretted it—but that accident had forced him here to be reunited with his brother. Surely bringing his brother back from the dead warranted their sacrifice. _Her _sacrifice. _The end justifies the means_.

She waited a moment for him to speak. When he did not, she sighed slightly, a tightness enveloping her chest. "Anyway. This is how we used to be, right?"

"I don't like it. And I don't like lying." He frowned. "I _don't _want to lie to him."

"I know," she said, letting out another sigh. "Of course you don't want to lie."

"I just... don't know how to tell him. And now, while he's..." He did not complete his statement aloud. _Set on finding the answers to his mystery_, he finished silently_._

"It can't be helped, right? At least.. for now." Naru nodded but remained silent. "It's.. it's different this time around, isn't it," she questioned.

"Different how?"

Mai bit her lip. "Last time... last time we came back, the future was always a little fuzzy to me. It felt like the future was a dream, right? I didn't feel so out of place in the present. This time it's the opposite, I feel like I have more difficulty remembering what this present is supposed to be, that _this_ is the dream, instead." Both her experiences were different from what Naru had reported experiencing. He'd remembered the future with clarity as well as the preceding time leading into the moment he arrived in the past. He'd had no difficulty assimilating his knowledge of the time to come into the present.

"I had always assumed it had something to do with the fact that you'd returned to the time passively, as I had brought you back," Naru began slowly. "We didn't return to the exact same moment in time, either, as you'll recall." Mai nodded. Though she and Naru hadn't spoken much lately of his reversal of time—she'd left him and Lin to do the speculating—she had thought of it often. "This time, it seems that we did. Lin, as well. He remembers the future clearly. It could be more related to the fact that you'd been dead when I reversed time." He felt a lump grow in his throat. The day Lin had delivered the news of Mai's death was a very distant memory, but the day of the accident was burned into his memory. The sight of her blood on the pavement, the smell of the burning car. The sound of life support in a cold hospital room. It still felt like a nightmare he'd just awoken from.

"But that doesn't make sense, either," Mai frowned. "By that reasoning Gene should remember the future."

Naru exhaled in exasperation, anxious to leave the topic. "I don't know, Mai, I really don't. I haven't had much time to think about it."

She knew what the tone in his voice meant and she was quick to oblige him. "I saw John," Mai said, changing the subject. "I fell in a puddle and he was the one to help me up." She exhaled heavily. "It was really weird! He looked so young." She looked up at him, trying to distinguish his features in the darkness. "You do, too. Baby-face Naru."

"Don't say that," he growled, and she giggled softly. "It's strange to see you so young, too." Naru touched the strands of hair at her neck. "Your hair is longer than when we first met, isn't it?"

"Is it? I don't know. I don't remember." Mai blushed slightly. "You remember what my hair looked like when we first met?"

He shrugged. "Maybe. You must have gotten a haircut sometime in the next few weeks." In the darkness she could barely see his tender smile. "But you shouldn't. This is.. very cute." He leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead before rising. "I should go now."

She gazed up at his dark silhouette, wishing she could see his face. There were so many things she wanted to ask him, about their last day in the future and where they would go from here. But she could not bring herself to voice the words. Now was not the time, and she did not know when or if that time would come. "Next time will you tell me what you and Gene are doing here?"

"After I tell Gene about us." He replied, his hand on the sliding door. "Good night, Mai." He slid the door shut and Mai heard the door to her apartment open and the sound of a key turning in the lock a moment later. She closed her eyes to the darkness, listening. Soft footsteps receded down the hall and disappeared.

When she opened her eyes again, it was morning.

...

When Gene awoke, daylight shone through the window, the blinds half-pushed back. He groaned and rolled his head away.

His brother's bed was empty but he could hear the sound of computer keys. He rose partially onto his elbows, raising an eyebrow as he observed his twin typing methodically on his laptop at the table. There was a steaming teacup and some untouched buttered toast at his side.

Naru, noticing the movement, smirked as he lifted his cup of tea. "Rise and shine, sleepyhead."

"You're at it already?" Gene asked, rubbing his head as he sat up. He turned his gaze to the clock. It was almost eight o'clock. "I guess I slept in, huh."

"Not really. I was awake so I thought I'd get started," he shrugged. "Besides, the quicker we know, the better, right?"

Gene nodded and rose from the bed, walking quietly to his brother's side and reaching for the toast. "You know me, I'm always impatient. What've you done so far?"

"Just some general investigation on Markus Nilson." Naru informed him, taking the other piece of toast as Gene sat down. "I found him on the list of 1981 Yale graduates. He studied East Asian Studies and History, graduated _summa cum laude_." His mouth curled in a smile.

"Seems appropriate," Gene said, picking up Naru's tea and taking a sip.

"Assuming he was in his early twenties when he graduated, he was probably born in the late 50's. He would have been in his mid-twenties at the time of his death. Using the article in the New Haven Register that you found yesterday, I was able to find a very short obituary. He was survived by his parents and two younger sisters, Alice and Emma," he continued, turning the page of his notebook, scanning his notes. "From there, I looked up the contact information for our paternal grandparents, Lukas and Satoko Nilson." Naru gazed at the paper for a moment before speaking suddenly. "We might as well call them," he said.

Gene looked surprised, swallowing his mouthful of toast quickly. "Really? Already?"

"Yeah." Naru thought for a moment. "It's morning here, which means it's evening on the Eastern Seaboard. He rose to his feet, picking up the hotel phone and bringing it back to the table. "Why not, right?"

Gene hesitated. "Let's... wait. Wait until tomorrow. Tonight's not a good night." He closed his eyes, pausing. "I just don't think it's a good night for them."

His brother gazed at him thoughtfully before speaking. It had been a long time since he'd received a recommendation like this from Gene but he'd always trusted his twin's intuition absolutely. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah." Gene nodded. He rose to his feet and with a fluid motion, pulled off the shirt in which he'd slept, bending to find a replacement in his brother's suitcase. "Eat your toast, Noll, and let's go get some real breakfast. I could use some coffee."

...

The two had been at the library for hours, moving the research from their father to their mother for the better part of the morning. Despite the ease of which they had uncovered information on their father, facts on their mother remained elusive.

Gene frowned and exhaled loudly, stretching back in his chair. He was certain he'd perused every article in the archives relating to the 1984 Otaki Earthquake and uncovered anything ever written about the tiny village of Otaki and the Kiso District. Nothing he read, however, was of any assistance to move forward. "Why can't we find anything on her?" He muttered, resting his chin on his hand glumly.

"We only just started," Naru said, rising to his feet. "I'm going to get a cup of tea. I saw a shop outside. Do you want to take a break?"

Gene shook his head wordlessly, staring gloomily in front of him.

"I'll bring you something. Do you want a cup of coffee? Something to eat?"

"Nah, I'm good. I guess I'll call the hospital." His face brightened slightly at the prospect. "It's possible that they know something. Who knows."

Naru nodded, shrugging on his jacket as he turned away. The archives were located on the second floor and as he hurried down the stairs he passed a window, turning his gaze outside. It was an overcast day and the sidewalks and streets were crowded with people and vehicles alike. His eyes fell on a familiar figure sitting on a bench and watching the pigeons that wandered aimlessly on the pavement, fluttering their wings and hopping away when the human feet came too close.

He frowned, pausing and walked slowly to the door, wondering if he had been mistaken. As he stepped outside, however, he could see that he had not. He recognized the jacket and the scarf: she'd kept both articles, many years into the future. Her back was turned to him, her fine chestnut colored hair blowing in the breeze.

"Mai, what are you doing here?" Naru frowned, hurrying toward her.

Mai lifted her gaze to him and shrugged. She did not seem especially surprised to see him. "Skipping school," she said, sounding both defiant and ashamed.

"Obviously." His frown deepened. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

She shrugged again, turning her eyes away. "A sick day or two can't hurt, especially when I've done it already. Where's Gene?"

"Inside. Did you know we were going to be here?"

"No," Mai shrugged, looking away again and refusing to meet his gaze. "I just a feeling to come by, I guess. I thought it would be a good idea to check out some books, maybe find a Murakami novel. It's been a long time since I've read his books in Japanese. And I suppose I'd like to finish reading _Jane Eyre_. It wasn't... exactly... just that I wanted to see you." She flushed slightly as she finished.

It was true that Mai had been reading _Jane Eyre _shortly before their return to this time: his mother had introduced Mai to the famous novels of Charlotte Brontë and Jane Austen several months ago. She probably did honestly want to read it, but in Naru's mind her statement was a least partially a lie and not a legitimate reason to skip school. Not to mention that sitting outside the building, watching the pigeons, was not an active pursuit of finding the books in question. "And you wanted to come to this particular library? Isn't there a library closer to your apartment?"

She gave him a bitter, lopsided smile. "I suppose that's my intuition at work."

His lips were a thin line. "You should go to school, Mai."

"I know," she pouted. "I just... I really don't feel like it."

"It's not going to get any easier." Her eyes hardened and she turned her gaze back to the sidewalk. He sighed and sat down next to her, resting his elbows on his knees. The transition into the past was no doubt hard on her, especially considering what she had voiced last night: that the future seemed real and this present seemed more akin to a dream. "I'm sorry, Mai. But you.. we have to try to live normally. I know it's difficult, but what else can we do?"

"You don't have to go to school," Mai said glumly, sulking.

"Not high school, but I have a semester of work left at the university until I graduate and when the time comes I will do my coursework, just like last time." He smiled wryly. "Think of it as an opportunity to learn more, Mai. Dare I say _do better than last time_."

"Half my teachers are younger than me," she said, her lips lowering into a dour shape. This was an exaggeration; only several of the teachers at her school were in their early thirties or younger.

"Maybe so, but that doesn't mean you can't learn anything from them." He frowned at her. "You're just being stubborn." He gazed at her for several seconds and then rose to his feet, gesturing with a nod. "Come with me."

Mai followed him as he walked down the sidewalk, ducking into a small cafe. He gazed at the offerings listed on the menu before walking up to the counter and ordering a cup of assam tea, to go. His spoken Japanese was flawless, as it had always been, and Mai realized she'd missed hearing him speak it. Once they had only spoken Japanese together. Over time, they spoke mostly English, the Japanese conversations becoming few and far between. Even the night before, when he'd met her in her room they'd spoken English out of habit.

"Do you want anything?" He asked her, startling her out of her musings.

Mai glanced at the list of teas, somewhat surprised and impressed by the large selection for such a small shop. "A cup of the tamaryokucha, please," she told the woman. "Thank you."

Naru nodded as if in approval and paid for the teas at the cashier. When the woman behind the counter passed him the cups, he passed one to her and they walked out of the brightly-lit shop into the overcast morning. Naru pulled his sleeve back to glance at his watch before lifting the cup to his lips, squinting slightly as he gazed above the buildings across the street and into the grey sky.

Mai watched him, realizing that while his outward appearance should suggest a teenaged boy it was impossible for her not to think of him as older. His mannerisms had always suggested maturity but gazing at his profile she could almost see the man he had grown into in the future, mingling with this present past. "Thank you," she said softly, taking a sip of her tea. "Is this your bribe to get me to go to school?"

"Of course not," Naru said indignantly, stopping as they once again stood in front of the library, close to the building and away from the steady stream of pedestrians that crossed on the sidewalk. "I thought you would like some tea. That's all." He closed his eyes for a moment, as if contemplating something, transferring the cup of tea into his other hand. Slowly but steadily, he reached toward her and took her hand in his own, entwining his fingers with hers as he took another sip of his tea.

It surprised her that he would hold her hand in public. That he would do so, even though someone might see them on this busy, crowded street. Even more startling that he would do so when Gene may be in the vicinity to see such a revealing action. However, Mai thought wryly, he had to be certain that his brother wouldn't happen upon them. She wasn't entirely sure what the psychic connection between them encompassed and what his psychometry was capable of. He had seen—not only seen, but experienced his brother's death, and she wondered if he could also look in on his brother at will. The thought led to another: what would happen as the twins grew older without separating? Naru, of course, had never said anything of the matter, but from several overheard conversations between Lin and Martin she had surmised that the twins' ESP capabilities had continued to develop together right up until Gene's death. When Gene disappeared, however, so did Naru's evolution. She wondered if Naru'd had these very thoughts in the last few days as well.

Despite her musings, she found a smile growing on her lips as she inhaled the gentle aroma of the tamaryokucha. The tension that had gathered around her slowly began to dissipate and she forced herself from that train of thought. "I'm sorry for being so stubborn," she finally said softly. "You're right, of course. I should go to school." She squeezed his hand gently, looking up at him. "Will I see you tonight?"

Naru's lips quirked in a slight grin. "I'm sure Gene will be up for something fun this evening. We'll take you out for dinner. Or whatever it is that kids do in Tokyo."

She smiled at his words. "I can endure school if I'm looking forward to that. And you still have my key."

"Yes."

"Then I'll see you, one way or another. Promise?"

"Of course."

She smiled coyly as she extracted her hand from his own and offered him a small wave as she walked away. Naru wondered vaguely the meaning of that smile and if it would be presumptuous of him to go out and buy some contraceptives. He shook his head to himself as he watched her meander away, knowing he couldn't possibly be so irresponsible. How would he ever explain his possession of them if his brother happened to find them? When she had disappeared into the crowd of pedestrians, he turned and returned into the hush of the library, the sounds of outside all but disappearing as the heavy door closed behind him.

Approaching the table that he and his brother had claimed, Gene looked up when he saw him coming, an excited grin spreading across his face. "Noll," he whispered, gesturing for him to hurry.

Naru set the paper cup of tea on the table, pulling out a chair. "What is it?"

"Turns out all we needed to do was call the hospital. At some point they recorded Harumi's next of kin. Probably—well, almost _certainly_—after our transfer, because the hospital at Takayama certainly didn't know about it. Apparently she called the hospital to claim Harumi's remains. Our maternal grandmother, Shibuya Mitsuki."

Naru frowned. "Her remains? Not her body?"

"That's what the woman said." He glanced down at his notes. " "She claimed her remains on September 28th, 1984," is exactly what she said. Well—you know. In Japanese, not English."

"Did the woman mention anything about Harumi having twins or of being pregnant?" Gene shook his head and Naru's eyes narrowed slightly in thought. He settled back into his chair, a pensive frown settling on his face. "Though the casualties of the quake were fairly low, it would make sense that the mortuary in such a small village would be overwhelmed with the victims of the earthquake. If a body was identified with certainty, though unusual, it's not out of the question that they would proceed with cremation." He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "I suppose a possible reason why we weren't claimed by family on our mother's side could simply be that she was not aware of our birth," he mused. Gene waited patiently and his brother continued. "In the confusion of the aftermath, the hospital either lost or did not keep a record that the deceased Shibuya Harumi had delivered two children. We were transferred out of that hospital to Takayama on the 22nd. By only collecting her daughter's remains, Shibuya Mitsuki wouldn't have known of the fact."

"Perhaps she didn't even know her daughter was with child," Gene added. "If she'd known her daughter was pregnant, surely she would have questioned the hospital when she collected her remains. Don't you think?"

"It does seem possible. When did she claim the remains, again?"

"September 28th. Eight days after Harumi died."

Naru's frown deepened. "That seems like a long time."

"It does, doesn't it." Gene nodded slightly. "Of course, there's always the possibility that she was aware of our birth but did not act on the information. Perhaps she wanted nothing to do with us and let the hospital take care of us as they saw fit."

"There is always that possibility," Naru agreed. He directed his gaze to the table top. Since he had left it had accumulated a number of phone books and directories. "What's this, anyway?"

Gene beamed and pushed one of the phone books toward him. A quick glance showed that it was a directory for Chubu: Niigata - Yamanashi - Nagano. When his eyes fell on the word _Nagano_, Naru felt a weight drop into his stomach.

"Here," Gene flipped the book open to a marked page and ran his finger down a line of names, stopping about two-thirds of the way down the page. 渋谷光希, Shibuya Mitsuki. "This is her. Our grandmother."

Naru frowned. "Are you sure? How do you know?"

"I.. just do," Gene said, smiling sheepishly. "Just a feeling that it has to be her, right?" The impish grin remained on his twin's face. "There's only one way to find out."

...

Mai stood in the hallway for several minutes, listening to the teacher talk within before she finally slid open the door. "Sorry I'm late," she said quietly, bowing.

"Taniyama, I thought you were sick today?" The teacher, a strict-looking woman with a pinched mouth, frowned at her, irritated.

"I feel much better now. I didn't want to miss class," Mai said, cringing as she heard two girls guffaw at her in the back of the classroom. Several other girls, the ones who had seen Gene the day before and her leave with him, tittered and whispered amongst each other. Mai knew they were speculating and she had the sudden urge to leave the classroom again, never to return. But she stood calmly and after several moments she realized their whispers didn't actually bother her. She had experienced more in her life to be bothered by mere high school gossip.

The teacher shot an angry look to the disruptive students and nodded tersely at Mai. "Take your seat, Taniyama. Okay, class, everyone get into pairs or small groups. Discuss the text with your peers until the end of the class."

The classroom slowly began to move, the students looking around and grouping themselves together. Mai slid into her seat in the middle of the classroom, pulling out her books and a pencil.

"Mai, were you really sick? Where were you?" Michiru asked with a whisper, swiveling around in her seat.

"I'm okay now," Mai said quietly, flipping open her book. "I didn't feel well this morning, is all."

"Nothing—nothing to do with _Gene_, right?" Michiru said with a conspiratory wink. "Wasn't that his name?"

"Of course not," Mai said, finding the page by looking over her friend's shoulder. "Are we going to talk about this or what?" She muttered, noticing that their teacher was walking around, listening to the students' discussions. Iwasaki, who sat next to Mai, turned in his seat toward them and join them wordlessly.

"Um, okay." Michiru sounded disappointed. "So what do you think? Did you read this before? We read it aloud before you got here."

Mai turned her attention to the page, her eyes sliding over the text. She had read the short story last night. It had been assigned, after all. Even as she started to read it she had remembered this story, the confession of a man accused of murder. This time, however, with fifteen years in-between, the story's meaning was completely different. "It's pretty interesting, isn't it?" She mused as she scanned the page. "The reader can't tell if the man is finally confessing his guilt or if after all the accusations he begins to doubt his own innocence. I never noticed the duality of the text before. I just assumed he'd been lying the whole time."

Michiru stared at Mai for a moment and then at the book. "You know... you're right. I never thought of it that way before, either, huh..." She turned her gaze to the boy next to them. "What about you, Iwasaki-kun? What do you think?"

The boy frowned, staring at the words. "I always thought he was finally coming clean, too, but.. I guess Mai's right. It's kinda vague." His eyebrows furrowed. "But why finally confess if he wasn't guilty?"

"That's true," Michiru said dubiously.

"Well, they were accusing him for such a long time," Mai said. "Everyone turned on him. It was obvious they were never going to believe his innocence. And after all, you begin to believe it if you hear it enough, right?"

"Well, which one is it?" Iwasaki said impatiently. "Is he guilty or not?"

"I guess that's the point of the story, to be ambiguous. We'll never actually know the truth." Mai rested her head in her hands on top of her open book. "I guess I'd rather believe that he's innocent and been wrongly accused." She mumbled, and closed her eyes, yawning.

"While I am grateful you can share such insightful comments with your classmates, Taniyama, class isn't quite over yet," the teacher said from behind Mai's shoulder. "If you're going to sleep in class you shouldn't bother coming in."

Mai's eyes snapped open and she immediately straightened in her seat. "Yes, sensei." She watched the teacher carefully as the woman walked away.

"You're wrong, Taniyama," Iwasaki suddenly said. "At the end, after his confession, the man says that he told a lie. That's obviously that he was lying about his innocence, right?"

Mai's gaze meandered back to the text. "Well," she started slowly, "that passage is repeated from the beginning of the story. In the first paragraph he states he isn't lying and he's not afraid to die for what he believes to be the truth, and says that what goes around comes around. But in that last paragraph he admits he lied and again says what goes around comes around. Don't you take it to mean that what he lied about was not being afraid to die? I mean, honestly. Everyone's afraid to die." A small smile quirked the corners of her lips as she said this.

Michiru frowned at her, noticing the change in her expression. "What's so funny?"

Mai's eyes were wistful. "Nothing," she lied, and the bell rang. "What's next? Geometry?"

...

"Mai-chan, do you want to get ramen or something? Yuriko said she was free, too." Michiru asked as they wiped the blackboard together. In the hallway, students were departing for their clubs, the classes over for the day. "Keiko had to leave early, to run an errand for her mom, but she said she'd meet us there."

Mai hesitated. It would probably be good to meet up with her friends, to "reacquaint herself," so to say, but she was expecting Naru or Gene to call her to make plans later. Not to mention she had almost no money to pay for anything frivolous. "Sorry, Michiru-chan, I'll have to pass tonight," she sighed. "I'd love to but I'm totally broke!"

"I can spot you," Michiru offered helpfully.

Mai bit her lip. "It's tempting, and I _am_ hungry, but..." she sighed. "I really can't. It'll be a couple weeks before I can pay you back, and I wouldn't feel right about that."

Michiru looked disappointed. "I really wanted to hear all about Gene. Who is he, how do you know him? You'll tell me everything, right?"

"Yeah, of course... " Mai's voice trailed off. In order not to lie, she decided to offer as little information as possible. "He and his brother are visiting Tokyo for a few days," she said, "I was just showing Gene around, is all."

"He has a brother?" Michiru looked interested at the prospect. She sighed, dreamily, sliding open the window and clapping the dusty erasers outside. "I'd like to see them together. If they look anything alike they must make a very handsome pair."

"I guess so," Mai said, noncommittally. _That's probably an understatement_, she thought wryly.

The door slid open and Yuriko poked her head into the otherwise empty classroom. "Michiru-chan, Mai-chan, are you ready to go? I just got a text from Keiko. She'll be done in fifteen minutes, so if we go now we can meet her. "

"Mai can't, she's broke," Michiru said, and Yuriko made a face.

"Oh, come on, Mai, don't be silly. We'll pay for you! It's just _ramen_. It'll be, what, 800 yen, tops?"

"I would feel bad," Mai protested weakly, wondering what her friends knew about her overall situation not to press too firmly. After all, Yuriko could have said _"It's only ramen, can't you afford that?"_ But she hadn't. They knew she was an orphan, but she didn't remember what else she'd let on.

"Nonsense, come on!" Yuriko took her arm in hers, bouncing it gently. "Pretty please?"

Mai felt a smile tug on her lips. Yuriko was a new addition to inseparable group she, Michiru and Keiko had become since middle school. It was probably around this time that they became close. Keiko, who had been placed in a different class than Mai and Michiru, had introduced her to them. "Okay, but I can't pay you guys back for a little while."

"Who cares? You don't have to pay me back. I'll just pinch some money from my stepdad," Yuriko giggled. "Come on, let's go. What say we head down to Shibuya? I hear there's a new place that has really good tonkotsu ramen."

...

She was glad she'd acquiesced to the will of her friends. When they'd left the school Mai didn't quite feel at ease with the girls, but as the afternoon turned into evening she felt more and more comfortable. She was still self-conscious about their age difference and was afraid of acting differently so as to draw attention to herself. She was hardly the same person she'd been just yesterday, all those years ago. After all, she'd lived twice as long and had a great deal of experiences that led her to different conclusions and expectations about the world. But as she immersed herself in the present, trying to forget about the future for a while, she found herself slipping back into mannerisms she'd forgotten, remembering inside jokes and behaving as a normal fifteen-year old girl would.

After the ramen shop in Shibuya they walked up and down the busy streets. Keiko window-shopped while Yuriko looked at all the male figures they passed, commenting on those she deemed most handsome or fashionable. They stopped in a boutique when something in the window caught Keiko's eye and the girls browsed the racks of hats, scarves and displays of vintage-style jewelry.

The girls were in the shop for a long time, waiting as Keiko seriously considered buying a trendy jacket. Mai, not as interested in looking at items she knew she couldn't afford and finally feeling the weight of two glasses of water she'd drank with her ramen, approached the shopkeeper and asked if she could use the restroom.

The man seemed reluctant to turn his attention toward her and when he did he gazed at her condescendingly. "The restroom is for _purchasing customers only_," he snipped. "And I doubt you can afford anything in this establishment considering..." His voice trailed off as he looked her over with disdain.

Michiru, standing close behind her, looked outraged. Mai, sensing a scene, simply shrugged and led her friend away.

"Mai, don't tell me you're going to stand for that sort of bullshit!" Michiru hissed, and Mai was somewhat surprised to see her friend so agitated. Michiru almost never swore.

"It's fine. Whatever," Mai shrugged. "The train station's just down the street and there should be public restrooms there. I'll just go there." She caught Yuriko's eye. "Yuriko-chan, when you're done I'll meet you guys outside, okay?"

"I'll go with you," Michiru said quickly, following her outside. "What a jerk!" Michiru exclaimed once they had exited the shop, her face flushed with her sudden anger. "Just because we're high schoolers. He has no right to assume you can't buy anything there! It was way overpriced, anyway," she sniffed. When Mai remained silent, Michiru frowned. "Doesn't that _bother_ you, Mai-chan?"

"Everyone is dealt some sort of injustice in the world," Mai said, "so I'm grateful that it was a minor one." Michiru frowned slightly, looking at her friend closely with a mix of curiosity and bewilderment. Mai couldn't tell if she was worried or just confused. "At least," Mai said quickly, "that's what my mom always used to say."

Michiru watched her dubiously as they pushed open the door to the station. "Yeah, I guess."

"I'll just be a minute." Ducking into the restroom, Mai heaved a sigh of relief. It was the first time that evening she'd evidently done something out of character. Her heart was pounding, though she honestly couldn't say why it made her so nervous.

In the privacy of the stall, Mai felt a lump form in her throat. It was not her own mother but Luella who had said that to her.

When she returned to Michiru the girl appeared to have all but forgotten about the incident and was cheerful again. They found a new topic, talking and laughing as they returned to the shop where Keiko and Yuriko were waiting outside.

"Did you buy anything?" Michiru asked.

"Nah," Keiko shrugged. "I don't think I liked it that much after all. I'd rather think about it for a while."

"You can always come back," Mai agreed, and Yuriko nodded.

"Besides, we've got that quiz tomorrow, right? We should probably call it a night." Keiko frowned when Michiru groaned at the mention of the quiz. "You were saying you need to study, weren't you? And it's already getting late."

"Yeah, I guess so. If I don't head home now I won't make it for dinner and my dad'll yell at me."

The girls parted ways when they entered the underground train station. Michiru and Keiko took the same train and Mai and Yuriko were on the same line so they said good night as they swiped their passes at the gate. When they arrived on their platform, Yuriko frowned, glancing at the digital display of the train schedule. "Oh, shoot, it looks like you just missed the local."

Mai shrugged. "It's okay, I'm not in a big hurry." She smiled at her friend. "That's good, though, the express will be here in a minute. You won't have to wait long."

"Mn, yeah." Yuriko said absently. She seemed to hesitate. "Here," she said as she turned to her, suddenly pressing two 1000 yen notes into Mai's hand. "Take this, Mai-chan."

"Oh, Yuriko-chan, you already bought my ramen. I can't—" Mai protested.

"Just take it," Yuriko said, pulling her hands away, forcing to Mai hold the money uncertainly. "Seriously. You don't need to pay me back. Emergencies come up, you know?"

"Are you sure?" Mai asked, her voice faltering. When Yuriko nodded firmly, Mai finally dipped her head, putting the money in her pocket. "Thank.. thank you. I'm really sorry for the trouble. I'll pay you back."

"Don't," Yuriko grinned and began to laugh. "Besides, I'm curious to find out how much I have to take before my stepdad notices. The guy's loaded and _completely _oblivious." Mai felt a smile grin twitch on her lips. Mischievous Yuriko, just as she remembered her. The girl looked up as the train approached. "Oh, that's my train. The express line to homework, studying, and tomorrow. Gotta go!" She grinned at Mai, waving. "See ya!"

Mai returned the wave from the platform. When the train moved down the tunnel, her friend gone from her sight, she dropped her hand. It was time to return to the apartment and she wondered if this time it would feel like returning home.

...

They'd called Ms. Shibuya Mitsuki several times over the course of the afternoon, unable to leave a message. In between calls the brothers began to research the area of Nagano in which Mitsuki lived, trying to determine if it was where Harumi had grown up. Unfortunately they couldn't find any indication that the woman had ever lived there with her daughter. In fact, just as earlier in the day they'd had trouble finding information on Harumi, Mitsuki Shibuya was all but impossible to trace. Had they not seen her name in the directory, Naru knew, they never would have known of her existence.

It was dark outside when Naru finally placed his hand on his brother's arm. "It's time to go, Gene," he said with a resigned sigh. "We'll try again tomorrow."

Gene stared at the materials on the table, his face the mask of a sullen pout. He was tired, hungry and grouchy and he knew his brother was right. With no amount of calling would she pick up the phone tonight and no amount of research would bring them closer to their goal.

"Yeah," he sighed as he stood, picking up the phone books and returning them to the shelf. "You're right," he said, quirking a grin. "Voice of reason, Noll. You always were, always have been." He shrugged as he shoved the last book into place. "I suppose if we can't reach her, we have her address from the directory. We could always try her at home."

Naru frowned. "She's not answering her phone, Gene, so why do you think she might be at home? It could be anything. Maybe she's traveling."

"No," Gene said thoughtfully. "I don't think that's it." He shrugged again. "I just think we'd see her if we tried to go there. If we went this weekend we could ask Mai to come with us."

Naru's frown tightened and he wondered why his brother wanted Mai to accompany them to look for their grandmother. He knew Gene had said nothing to her of his task in this country. "I thought you wanted to go to Kyoto this weekend," he said carefully.

Gene paused, considering. "Maybe.. later. It just seems like it'd be fun to go to Nagano instead."

Naru sighed, pulling on his jacket. The thought of going to Nagano, the place his brother had once died, made him extremely uneasy. "Let's go get something to eat. We can talk about it over dinner."

"Want to ask Mai to join us?"

He hesitated before answering. "Whatever you want, Gene."

...

She was even more grateful for the evening with her friends when she returned to her apartment and still had not heard from either of the brothers. It had been her first chance to take her mind off the larger situation at hand but it returned with full force as soon as she'd walked home in the cold evening. If she hadn't gone out with the girls, she knew, she would have simply been waiting nervously at home, worry and anxiety gnawing in her stomach as the dark curtain swept over the city, the early spring twilight cooling into night.

She locked the door behind her and slipped out of her shoes, shrugging off her jacket and padding quietly into her bedroom, changing out of her uniform and into a sweatshirt and jeans. Returning to the main room, she switched on the light above the kotatsu and turned off the other lights. She sat beneath the only illumination in the room and set her schoolwork in front of her, absently turning a pencil in her hand as she surveyed the books before her.

She did not feel the need to study. Her classes, both today and yesterday, had all been extremely easy. English and grammar lessons, of course, had been a breeze and she even remembered all the literature, history, science and math. It was her recollection of math that surprised her the most. She would have thought that she would have forgotten it completely, as she hadn't used much of it in the future. But as the teacher went on about Euclid postulates and axioms, Mai realized that she understood it even better than she had the first time. Naru, she grudgingly admitted, had been right to suggest that she could do better this time around in her studies, though she wasn't sure what better grades would accomplish in her life. She wanted things to be the same, same but for the addition of Gene. It seemed a simple undertaking.

Her stomach grumbled, urging her to go to the kitchen and heat some food for dinner. The ramen was now three hours ago and already she was hungry again. Instead, however, she remained seated, staring at the opposite wall. Her mind was preoccupied with the twins. She wondered where they were and what they were doing. Perhaps, she thought, they had stayed at the library late. Whatever Gene's real purpose in Japan was, it undoubtedly contained some sort of research.

As if in response to her thoughts her mobile rang. She jumped at the noise. _Gene_, the screen declared. Her heart fluttered in her chest with trepidation and relief.

"Hi there Mai! I'm not calling at a bad time, am I?" he asked when she answered the phone.

"No, of course not. How are you?"

"Good, we're both great. Noll and I just got back to our room. I know it's already getting a little late, but do you want to get some dinner?"

"I'd love to." Mai answered honestly. "I was just going to eat, actually."

"Perfect. We'll come pick you up." In their hotel room, Gene glanced at his brother, whose gaze was turned on some faraway object. "We'll see you in a few."

...

She met them in front of her apartment building, their breaths showing in the cool night. "Where do you want to go?" Mai asked.

"Anywhere you'd recommend?" Naru queried. "A place close by, perhaps?"

"Do you want Japanese food?" Mai asked uncertainly, to which Naru shrugged in response, indifferent.

"Yeah," Gene affirmed. "Definitely Japanese food."

The small restaurant that Mai led them to was about halfway between her apartment building and the hotel, a small shop on a narrow street. The light, glowing warmly through the frosted windows, was inviting and lively voices could be heard from within. "It's been a while since I've been here," Mai began tentatively, pushing beside the navy colored _noren_ curtains with a hand, ducking her head as she opened the door. "But the udon and okonomiyakiwere both really good. And decently priced, too."

After they were seated, had ordered their food and were drinking tea, Gene clasped his hands together. "So, Mai, have you thought about our trip this weekend to Kyoto?"

"Oh, um, no. Not yet," Mai said, startled. "Sorry."

"No, that's good," he said, smiling. "Change of plans. We were thinking that instead of Kyoto," he paused, "would you like to go to Nagano Prefecture, Mai?"

Mai shot a questioning glance at Naru, who lifted his shoulders slightly but remained silent. She hoped it was an indication that he'd explain later. "Okay," Mai said, hesitating. "I don't really know anything about Nagano, though. I don't know if I could show you around the same way as if we went to Kyoto."

"That's fine. We can pick up a guide book between now and then. We'll just do whatever seems fun."

"And we can always go to Kyoto later, right?" Naru said, taking a long sip of his tea, hoping he didn't sound disappointed. Honestly, he had been looking forward to the opportunity to go to the city with Mai and he had no desire to visit Nagano whatsoever. At his comment, Mai's eyes once again moved to his face curiously but he evaded her gaze.

To Mai, it was obvious that his brother seemed tense and unsure about the idea though Gene did not seem to notice the fact. Instead, he grinned. "Yeah."

The food was quick to arrive. They had ordered a sampler plate of vegetarian tempura to share, rice, pickles and vegetables in traditional Japanese fair. Mai was relieved that as they ate Naru's spirits seemed to improve, the tenseness leaving his shoulders and his facial expressions relaxing. Gene, as well, who had been cheerful before, seemed even happier once he began to eat. As they talked and ate Mai noticed that the atmosphere between the trio seemed much more comfortable than it had the day prior. She was hesitant to ask them about their day, knowing they had spent much of it at the library, but there was not a lack of conversation. Both Gene and Naru asked her about her day: Naru questioning her about classes and school, while Gene was interested in her excursion out with her friends. The topics meandered away from Mai's day and led to other, animated conversations. Gene spoke of some his sightseeing in Maebashi, stories that he was telling his brother for the first time.

After they had finished their dinner Gene excused himself to the restroom, leaving Naru and Mai alone for the first time that evening.

"Are you okay? With going to Nagano?" Mai finally asked quietly. Still uncertain with what the brothers were occupied with, she knew at least that returning to that prefecture, at this time, no doubt made him nervous.

Naru sighed heavily, shrugging as he reached into his pocket to retrieve his wallet. "I'll be fine." He turned his gaze from the check to the billfold, thumbing through the notes.

"Oh, um, let me pay for my share," Mai said quickly, reaching into her pocket.

"Don't be ridiculous, Mai. I'll pay for you." He pulled out the money and set it down on the table.

Seeing no reason to protest, Mai put her money back into her pocket. "Thank you." Her eyes softened as she gazed at him, a smile tugging the corner of her lips.

Returning to the table, Gene saw the gentle smile that Mai offered his brother and the seed of suspicion, planted the day before, began to grow. He did not want to think of it. "We passed that arcade on the way here, what say we go there next?" He asked as he sat down in his seat. He watched Mai as he spoke, noticing that while her grin broadened at his statement, the inner light in her eyes faded when she turned her gaze from his brother to him.

"That sounds fun! It's not too late yet, so I'd be game. What do you say, Oliver?"

A genuine smile lifted Naru's lips. "I suppose we could do that."

...

The arcade was still busy and there were lines to play several of the games. Not tremendously picky, the three teens avoided the clusters of people and went to the available games. Mai watched first as the brothers played a racing game, laughing so hard she thought her sides would split at Naru's ineptitude at the game. She had known that he was terrible at video games, ever since the time Luella's visiting young cousins, a Wii gaming console and MarioKart combined in one fateful afternoon, many years later. She'd laughed like this, then, too.

"Have you _ever_ played a racing game before?" She chortled and he smiled at her, his eyes full of mirth.

"You wouldn't believe me if I said I had," he replied.

She continued to laugh and he gently pushed her toward the game in his place. "Here, you play," he commanded, and she took the controls.

Gene beat her spectacularly as well and then they moved on to the taiko drumming game. Mai and Gene played the first game, laughing as they tried to hit the beats. Naru watched from the side, content as a spectator. When Mai finished, having bested his brother, she laughed and tugged on his arm and convinced him to play as well.

"I'm beat," Gene said, setting down the drum sticks after the third round of the game, in which Mai had another spectacular round. "You guys good to go?"

"Yeah." Mai said happily, and Naru nodded shortly.

"It's getting late. We should head back. And you have school tomorrow," Naru said, turning to Mai.

She shrugged and didn't seem to hear him, instead hurrying them forward. "Oh, a photo booth!" A huge smile covered her face. "You don't mind, do you?" She hardly waited for their answer, all but pulling the two brothers inside, crowding into the small space of the booth. She took her purse from her pocket, inserted some coins and pressed the button to begin. "Are you ready?"

Using the mirror, they situated themselves to fit inside the image area. Mai in the middle, grinning, pressed the button to take the first picture.

"Smile, Noll," Gene commanded.

"I _am_ smiling," Naru retorted dryly. His smile, of course, barely lifted his lips. Both Gene and Mai knew it was a teasing reply, fully aware of his impassive expression.

"Next one—" Mai said, laughing as Gene turned his fingers into bunny ears behind her head.

"Serious faces, everyone," Gene deadpanned, and the flash shone on three somber faces.

"What should our last one, be?" Mai asked Naru, lifting her gaze to meet his. "Quick, we only have five seconds!"

"Three wise monkeys," Naru said without hesitation, and the three moved simultaneously just before the final flash went off.

Stepping outside to examine the prints, Mai pointed at the last picture. "How did we do that," she murmured, smiling. "You'd think we'd coordinated it or something."

Gene looked over her shoulder on one side, Naru on the other. On the left side of the picture, Naru had covered his ears, a faint smile evident by the glimmer in his eyes. In the center of the photo Mai's eyes were wide, both hands covering her mouth, giving her a startled appearance. And on the right, Gene had an enormous grin on his face, his eyes covered tightly behind both hands.

"We three look good together," Gene suddenly said, taking one of the sets of prints from Mai. "You bought three sets?"

She shrugged. "So we could all have one." She turned to Naru and passed it to him, her fingers lingering as they brushed his hand.

"Thank you," he said, gazing at the photos for a moment before tucking it in his inside jacket pocket.

They left the arcade together and stepped out into the cool night. Gene gazed upward at the dark starless sky, his breath steaming upwards before it was whisked away into the shadows. "Well, where to from here?"

"Don't you think we should call it a night?" Naru questioned, glancing for traffic on the street as they crossed to the opposite sidewalk. Both Mai and Gene, he noticed, did not look.

"Nah, not yet. Besides, I'm still a little hungry. Let's stop in a store and grab a snack or find a cafe."

Naru frowned, reluctant to agree with his brother even as he felt the same. Due to their strenuous schedule of the day, he, too, was hungry again—or at least in the mood for a cup of tea. "Mai, what about school tomorrow?"

Mai, who was just finishing buttoning her coat up to her neck, shrugged ever so slightly, agreeable to anything. "It's not too late, I can stay out a little longer."

They passed a brightly lit confectionary and Gene slowed as he looked in the window, a showcase of every dessert the shop made on display. "Those parfaits are huge," he noted. "Do they really make them that large?"

"Oh, absolutely," Mai laughed. "And honestly these aren't really that big, compared to some cafes." She looked at the sign of the shop, dredging for a memory of the place. She knew she'd had a parfait there before—though it was possibly more than ten years ago for her. "I've been here before," she started. "But it's been a while. I think they specialize in parfaits and anmitsu."

"That's the _anmitsu_?" Gene asked, pointing at a bowl with plastic fruit and gelatinous-looking balls and cubes, arranged more pleasantly than he might have expected from "gelatinous-looking balls and cubes".

"Yup," Mai said, a slight smile spreading on her lips. "Have you ever had any kind of Japanese dessert?" She asked. "It's really different from Western desserts, if you've never had it."

"I've had green tea ice cream," Gene said. "But that's pretty much it." He glanced at his brother, as if seeking his approval.

"Shall we go in?" Naru asked, raising an eyebrow. His brother obviously wanted to and he knew that Mai loved parfaits. He himself did not care for the texture of gelatin, nor was he terribly fond of sweets. While the other two had been preoccupied with the desserts he had read the menu pasted on the window by the door. The establishment had a very small selection of black teas but he was not feeling very particular. Any hot beverage appealed to him at the moment.

Gene, as if afraid his brother might change his mind, did not hesitate. He took Mai's arm in his and pulled her toward the door. "Let's go, Mai." He gestured with a nod of his head. "Come on, Noll."

...

An hour with two desserts, a cup of decaf coffee and two cups of tea—not to mention much laughter and conversations later—the three left the small cafe.

"I suppose I should go home," Mai confessed, a guilty look crossing her face. "Thank you for taking me out tonight. I had a lot of fun."

"Of course, Mai," Gene said, and Naru smiled warmly.

"Let us know if you'd like to go to Nagano."

Mai nodded quickly. "Yeah. I'll call you guys tomorrow, okay?"

"Have a good night," Gene said, and they waved, parting as they left her at her doorstep.

The brothers walked to the hotel in comfortable silence. Despite the magnitude of the day, neither was tired but rather awake and alert, owing to their evening with Mai. When they returned to the room Gene turned on the television, lounging on his bed while Naru showered and prepared for bed.

"What are you watching?" Naru asked, returning to the room and sitting down on his own bed.

"Some documentary about the marine life of Okinawa. It was either this or an old Japanese movie about a poet and painter." He shrugged and rose to his feet, his bare feet padding quietly across the floor as he stepped into the bathroom, taking up his toothbrush and squeezing toothpaste onto it. "You're welcome to change the channel."

Naru's shrug mimicked his brother's and he lay back onto the bed, barely listening to the dialogue of the show and only faintly aware of the sounds around him. His mind was continuously turning over the situation at hand.

Ever since he'd stepped on the plane in London headed for Tokyo, he'd thought about the moment he would tell his brother the truth. A suitable situation still had yet to present itself to him but he hated the feeling that he was lying. That evening, sipping his tea and watching Mai eat a parfait and Gene try _anmitsu_ for the first time, he was suddenly convinced that he was wasting precious time. It would not become easier to tell Gene as time went on and he would be better off telling him as soon as possible.

In theory, it would be simple—all they had to do was completely open their psychic connection. It was something they'd never done before, but he'd thought of this often, in the future. He'd come to the conclusion that there was no doubt together they were capable of such a thing. While it would drain them both, it would also explain everything. To do so, he hoped, would eliminate the possibility of misunderstanding. But that would show his brother _everything_ and he wasn't sure what the implications of doing so would be. To know everything of the future that he did. To show all of his weaknesses of the years, every personal hardship and every private joy on display. It would also lay bare his and Mai's most intimate moments and that didn't seem to be his choice alone to share. Mai would not want Gene to see those times. Though appealing in its simplicity, it was not an option. He would have to explain it to him with words.

Gene returned to the room, then, his hair damp from having just washed his face. Naru, who hadn't moved an inch since his brother left the room, forced himself to relax. He knew that if Gene noticed his tension he would be suspicious or worried.

"Tired?"

"A bit."

While Gene lay down on his bed, propping his head up with a pillow, Naru struggled to think of words to say. He did not know how to begin. His brother gazed at the television and his resolve began to fade.

Peaceful footage of underwater mammals and fish was accompanied by dreamy music. _"These gentle creatures once grazed peacefully on the abundant seagrass in Henoko Bay. Now, perhaps fewer than fifty dugongs remain and struggle to survive. Already threatened by pollution and overfishing in many other parts of its dwindling worldwide habitat, the remaining dugong population in Okinawa is most jeopardized by the United States military's plans to build a new airbase,"_ the woman narrated quietly. Gene moved to turn off the lamp, the television the only light in the room.

After some time Gene turned off the television and the room became suddenly still. He spoke out of the darkness. "I like Japan," he said, both his grin and sleepiness evident in his voice. "What about you, Noll?"

Naru nodded, a smile easing his face as he closed his eyes. "I do, too."

...

When Naru unlocked and opened the door to Mai's apartment at an hour past midnight, the light was on and she was sitting at the kotatsu, reading.

"You're up," he said, startled, closing the door quietly behind him.

She smiled, lowering the book to the table. "I was waiting for you."

"Sorry it's so late. I fell asleep." He bent to remove his shoes. "What would you have done if I hadn't shown up?"

She shrugged. "Sleep here, I guess." Her eyes twinkled as she gazed at him, her grin widening. "But I knew you'd come." She patted the cushion next to her that she'd set out for him. "You look stressed, Naru. I know it's difficult not to worry, but it'll be different this time. You know that. Everything's going to be fine."

He exhaled as he sat, sliding under the kotatsu, pulling the blanket around him. He leaned forward onto the surface, resting his head against his hands. It was not just the trip to Nagano that he was worried about. "I know." He looked over at her hands. "What are you reading?"

"A novel by Fumiko Enchi." She turned the book to show him the cover. "The teacher I stayed with gave this to me when I left, but I'd never read it. I don't know when I lost it, in the future, but I eventually did. I didn't have it when I moved to London." He raised an eyebrow, silently asking her appraisal and she made a slight face in response. "It's good—she's an excellent writer—but I hate starting a new book when there's another one I haven't finished yet. I really should have gotten _Jane Eyre _from the library. But it's not homework, I guess. And something new to occupy the time." She sighed and pushed the book away, resting her chin against her hands and closed her eyes. "Did you have fun tonight?"

"Yes. Did you?"

She smiled but didn't open her eyes. "Very much so. Thank you. And thank you for convincing me to go to school today, too. It wasn't... it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be."

"And you had a good time with your friends after school, right?"

"Yeah," she smiled. "I did. I almost gave myself away to Michiru, though. I need to be careful." She sighed, opening her eyes and resting her cheek against her hand. "It's probably harder for you, though. When are you going to tell Gene?"

"Soon." He exhaled heavily. "Tomorrow. Probably. I probably already should have told him, but... well, hindsight." He closed his eyes, pinching the skin between them with his fingers. He looked tired, Mai thought, and she frowned with worry as she gazed at him. She wished he hadn't come but had instead continued to sleep. It was obvious that he needed the rest. The tension was evident on his face.

Naru sighed slightly and opened his eyes, rubbing his temple with his fingers as he looked around the room, surveying the minute details. It had been a long time since he'd been in her apartment and he'd never before at this time in her life. Still, he recognized objects he'd seen before, including several items that she had brought with her when she came to England. The photos of her parents, a ceramic jar of pencils, and a small _maneki neko _statue, the cat with a raised paw. If his memory served him correctly, the object was quite old. It had belonged to Mai's grandmother.

Next to the cat was another figure of a cat in a very different form, a stuffed animal of a lion. He didn't recognize it and the object itself seemed new. "Cute lion," he remarked, his gaze falling on the plush. "Is that new?"

Mai smiled. "Gene gave it to me."

He couldn't keep the frown from forming on his lips, jealously instantly welling in his chest. "You shouldn't let him pay so much attention to you," he said, his voice coming out a little harder than he intended it to be. "He'll get the wrong idea."

Mai frowned and looked up at him, questioningly. "Naru," she started, unsure of what to say. He looked away, scowling in response.

She suddenly remembered Gene's light flirting from the days before. Since she'd been with both brothers, she had thought that Gene's attitude toward her had been nothing but platonic friendliness. Evidently, however, Gene must still be treating her differently than he would other girls as Naru had noticed the variation. She'd never seen him jealous before. "You're being silly. Even if he... even if he thought..." She didn't know how to reassure him. She realized that it did not matter what she said regarding Gene's feelings. Rather it was her own feelings that mattered. "You don't think I would choose him over you? You... you don't need to think about that, Naru. It's not going to happen."

_It was Gene that you should have fallen in love with in the first place_, he wanted to say. But he could not bring himself to utter the words.

Even if he did not voice his thoughts she understood that he was insecure and ashamed of the fact. Sighing, she reached toward him and took his hand in her own. "I mean, I could say the same, right? That because you have Gene, you don't need me anymore? I could expect you to return to England and I would never see you again."

"Don't be preposterous," Naru said shortly and she smiled.

"Then it's agreed. I want to be with _you_, Naru. That's not going to change." She leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the lips. "It's not going to change," she repeated.

Resting his hand against her cheek he returned the kiss. His eyes were guilty when he pulled his lips from hers. "I'm... sorry. I'm not being rational. I'm just.. tired. I suppose I'm still jetlagged."

The concern returned to her face. "Then you should get some rest." Her eyes moved to the clock in the kitchen and she sighed. "It's already one-thirty. I should go to sleep, too. I have school tomorrow, after all."

He sighed softly, closing the distance between their faces, resting his forehead against hers and his hand sliding to rest on her neck. "What do you want, Mai? Where do you want this future to take us?"

"I just want things to go back the way they were," she said. "I want everything to be the way it was, before, just with Gene."

"But that's impossible," he said, flatly.

"I know," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I know it's impossible, Naru. So we just have to move forward, I guess. So that's all I want. To go forward with you and Gene."

They remained in that position, their noses almost touching, for a long time. He had closed his eyes, but from the way his eyelashes fluttered against his skin, she could tell he was thinking, rather than resting.

His eyes finally opened and he regretfully pulled away from her, dropping his hand to hers and squeezing her fingers gently. "I should let you go to sleep," Naru said, getting up from the kotatsu and then helping her to her feet. "I've already kept you up this long."

"No, not at all." She smiled at him, his hand resting on the small of her back as he walked her to her bedroom. "And please don't worry, not too much. See you tomorrow?"

"Of course." He leaned toward her and kissed her again gently, then folded his arms around her and embraced her tightly. "Thank you, Mai. I couldn't do this without you." He held her in silence for several moments before he spoke again. "I... I do love you, Mai. Very much."

"I love you too, Naru," Mai said, smiling as he released her and kissing him gently on the cheek. "Now you go, too. You need rest more than I do."

...

His brother was once again awake when he woke up, sitting at the computer. That fact didn't surprise Gene, but his twin didn't look rested. The dark shadows beneath his eyes, staring vacantly at the screen, worried him.

"You look awful, Noll," Gene frowned as he sat up. "Did you sleep poorly?"

"Yeah," Naru said shortly, shifting in his chair. In fact he'd barely slept at all. The upcoming trip to Nagano weighed heavily on his mind, coupled with thoughts of how to finally come clean with his twin. Despite the comfort he'd felt when he visited Mai, when he returned to the hotel he'd been unable to sleep.

"You should go back to sleep."

"I'll be fine." He rubbed his eyes, wishing his voice didn't sound quite so irritated.

Gene shrugged, knowing his brother wouldn't listen to reason if it concerned his own well being. "Suit yourself." He ran a hand through his hair and slid out of bed. "I'm going to hop in the shower."

When Gene returned from his shower his brother looked somewhat better, a half-drank cup of tea by his hand and a Western breakfast laid out on the table: thick slices of toast, potatoes, eggs, a pot of coffee and, of course, a pot of tea. Apparently a bit of caffeine and hot food did him a lot of good. He'd closed the laptop, setting it aside and was now reading a newspaper.

"Smells delish. You called up room service?"

"Something like that." Naru said, gesturing toward him. "You should have some before it goes cold."

"Looks great," Gene murmured, pulling on a sweatshirt and settling down in the chair, heaping some scrambled eggs onto a piece of toast and setting it on his plate. Naru reached over and poured him a cup of coffee, which Gene accepted with a smile.

They ate leisurely and in silence. Gene's mind was wandering outside and Naru had turned his gaze back to the newspaper.

"It's a nice day today, huh?" he murmured with a smile, his eyes closed. "The bad weather's definitely turned. It's going to be a sunny day."

It was quiet between the two for several more minutes. Gene opened his eyes when Naru spoke suddenly. "Should I call them this morning?" He asked. It was immediately obvious of whom he was speaking of.

Gene hesitated for a moment and nodded. "Yes. What'll you tell them?"

The younger brother paused, his finger resting gently on the saucer under his empty tea cup. "We probably shouldn't tell them who we are. At least not right away. That might be a little too much."

"Then what?" Gene frowned. "It would be better to be honest, Noll."

Naru hesitated. "It seems a little... insensitive." When Gene gave him a disapproving look, Naru sighed. "Okay. I'll be honest." He picked up the phone and dialed, slowly and methodically. After a delay a woman's voice answered the phone.

"Good evening. May I please speak with Mr. Lukas Nilson or Mrs. Satoko Nilson?" Naru said politely.

"Just a moment, please," the woman said, and there was silence for several moments. "_Dad, phone_," he heard her say, followed by another long silence. Finally he heard the sound of a phone being picked up.

"This is Lukas," a deep voice said.

"Hello, Mr. Nilson. My name is Kazuya Shibuya." Naru said smoothly. "I apologize to disturb your evening. Do you have a moment?"

"Yes," the man hesitated. "You aren't.. somehow related to Harumi Shibuya, are you?"

"Yes." Naru answered calmly. "She was my mother." There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line. "I.. If I am correct, I believe that your son, Markus Ichirou, was my father."

There was a still silence as Naru waited. He heard voices in the background. _"Darling, what's wrong?"_

_"Grandpa?"_ A child's high voice questioned.

"Yes," the man's voice trembled. Naru heard Lukas whet his lips. "You're quite right. I.. Forgive that I am speechless. I—We had been under the impression that Harumi died before.. before her due date."

Naru heard the distinct sound of a woman's high gasp. _"Lukas,"_ he heard her say softly. _"Is.. is it...?"_

"Our mother died just shortly after we were born." Naru said, finding that there was a lump in his throat.

"I.. I see. ...Our?" he questioned.

"My brother, Ichirou, and I are twins."

The man let out a heavy sigh, a sigh of happiness and relief. "My God! Twins!" He could hear the woman in the background begin to cry. "Is Ichirou there with you?"

"Yes," Naru said, and passed the phone to Gene.

"Hello?" Gene said tentatively, and Naru watched as the emotions washed over his older brother's face. Trepidation, relief, wonder, happiness.

_This is what he wanted_, Naru thought, leaning back as he listened to one side of the conversation, closing his eyes. _To hear someone's joy to discover he was alive. Why didn't I realize that before?_

...

Naru opened his eyes with a start, the room very quiet around him. The sound of a key being inserted and the mechanism unlocking the door reached his ears, startlingly loud in the still room and the door to the room swung open.

Gene closed the door quietly behind him as he entered the room. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

"I fell asleep?" Naru questioned, his voice groggy.

"You must have slept awfully last night. You were really out of it."

He rubbed his eyes, trying to gather his bearings. From the light outside, it was obvious that the sun was close to its height of the day. "What time is it?"

"A little after noon."

Naru sat up in surprise, noticing that the table had been cleared, save for the glasses of water from their breakfast. Gene set a bag on the table top. "Lunch," he explained.

Naru stood, stretching his limbs, somewhat surprised that he wasn't sore from sleeping in the chair—and for so long. "I think I'll take a quick shower. If you don't mind."

Gene waved his hand. "Go right ahead."

Ten minutes later, a towel draped over his shirtless torso, he returned to the room feeling refreshed and ravenous. Gene was reading the paper, waiting for him. He looked up, setting the paper aside and opening a container. The smell of something delicious, mingling with the aroma of fresh coffee and tea, wafted toward him and his mouth began to water.

Naru pulled a long-sleeved t-shirt over his head and ran his hands through his hair, combing the damp strands with his fingers. "What is that? Smells good."

"Just a little lunch," Gene said grinning, unveiling the food. "There's an Indian restaurant across the street. I picked up samosas and a couple different kinds of curry. And rice, of course." He inhaled deeply. "You know they're doing something right when even the rice smells this good. They had korma, so I got a little. We'll see if it's as good as Luella's." He gestured toward his brother and set the opened containers around the table. "Come, sit down. Let me tell you about Lukas and Satoko Nilson."

"They'd love to meet us, of course," Gene said, passing his brother one of the containers of rice as he sat down. He then began to spoon what appeared to be an eggplant dish onto his own rice, taking a bite and blowing out through his mouth as he chewed the hot food. "And they actually travel to the UK occasionally. They have a trip tentatively planned in a few months. Nothing is finalized, but there's some sort of conference going on in May that Lukas is planning on attending. He's an academic, just like Martin." He smiled. "I imagine the two would get along very well."

"What's his field?" Naru asked, reaching for a samosa.

Gene swallowed his mouthful. "Neuroscience. Not bad, right? Satoko is an artist, a painter. She runs a gallery and shop in downtown New Haven."

Naru couldn't help but wonder how a neuroscientist and a painter would take to having a psychic pair of twins as grandsons. "What about the rest of the family?" He questioned. "Their other children, the sisters, and their families. Did he mention any of that?"

Gene nodded. "The entire family has stayed in the New Haven area. Markus was the oldest of their siblings. Both of the sisters are married. Alice, the middle child, has two daughters, ages ten and eight, and Emma, the youngest, had a baby about a year ago."

It had been one of the daughters who had answered the phone, and it was one of Alice's daughters he had heard in the background. "Were they all there?" He asked, and Gene nodded. He began to wonder why he had insisted they not call yesterday and if it could have had anything to do with the fact that the entire family would be together today.

"After Markus graduated he went to Japan for a trip, fell in love with the country and decided to stay for a while. He found work in Tokyo as a translator. Lukas said he was extremely likeable and personable, always got along with everyone. Though, what father wouldn't say that of his son?" Gene smiled slightly. "So it was relatively easy for him to live in a foreign country, far from his family. He made friends easily and because he was half-Japanese, he wasn't immediately recognized as a foreigner."

Naru listened in silence as he ate, nodding and keeping his eyes rapt on the identical face across the table.

"You were right on the mark, by the way. Born on June 8th, 1959, he was 26 years old at his death. Markus had always been athletic—apparently he was on the Yale track and field team—and loved the outdoors. He met Harumi when he took a trip to the Kiso District in Nagano. Part of the trip led him through Otaki village, on his way to climb Mt. Ontake." His smile turned bitter. It was the mountain that would eventually kill him. "Harumi was a teaching assistant at the Otaki school. Lukas and Satoko had never met her but Markus had spoken and written of her. Lukas said he had the impression that Harumi wasn't very close with her family. She'd gone to school in Nagano city. He didn't know where she was originally from, but she seemed to be from the country. She didn't like Tokyo and didn't visit Markus much there, before he moved to Otaki."

"What did he do when he came to Otaki?"

"He worked in a shop, doing what sounded like manual labor," Gene said, setting his spoon down. "Though it was obvious he wasn't making a good living or making full use of his talents, he loved it there. Lukas said he tried to gently persuade his son to come back to the States, but that Markus would go on and on about how beautiful the area was and how happy he was to be living there. He lived in Otaki for a little over two years. He skied a lot in the winter and climbed the mountains when there wasn't enough snow. When Harumi became pregnant, though, he starting thinking about the future seriously. He wanted financial stability to raise his family, so he started to make plans to move the family back to Connecticut."

Naru frowned slightly. "But they never made it. If they had returned to the States..."

The statement hung in the air. If Markus and Harumi had moved to the United States they would not have been in the earthquake and the landslides. Neither would have died and their children wouldn't have grown up as orphans. They never would have met the Davis's. Instead, they would be Americans with three cousins and grandparents.

The two were silent for some time. "How do you think..." Naru started carefully, anxious to maneuver the conversation along, "they will take to our capabilities?"

Gene frowned slightly, knowing exactly what his brother was speaking of. "I don't know," he answered honestly, "but I don't think we need to worry about that."

This was the time, he realized. Now was the time to tell his brother everything. About Mai, the future, and his own death. He leaned back in his chair, his gaze drifting to the window. His features became stern as he pondered the situation. He was at a loss, still unsure of how to bring up such a tremendous topic.

"What's bothering you?" Gene finally asked, frowning. His brother had settled into a deep silence and even he didn't have the faintest idea what could be running through his mind. "Does this really bother you that much?" When Naru didn't answer, Gene's frown deepened, studying him intently. "I thought you seemed happier, somehow, just by being here in Japan. Maybe I was wrong. You've been acting rather strange, Noll."

"That's.. not it." Naru sighed and rubbed his eyes. His mind had felt clear, when he'd woken up, but it seemed clouded again, and he had difficulty focusing his thoughts. If anything, he supposed he should be surprised that Gene hadn't said anything about his different behavior earlier. "It's not that." He sighed and ran his hand through his damp hair. "I wish I would have had the desire to find them," he murmured softly. "I should have. Or swallowed my pride and come with you anyway. This is all my fault. None of it would have..." He didn't finish his statement. Could he honestly wish none of it had happened? _Yes_, he told himself. _Together, Gene and I might have met Mai anyway._

_But Mai would have fallen in love with Gene_, a small, niggling voice told him. _Not you. Surely, not you._

Gene frowned. "Noll?"

_It would have been better that way anyway_, he tried to tell himself. But the two opposing sides of his thoughts would not listen to each other.

Naru looked up and met his brother's gaze. "Gene, I..." He was his better half, there was no denying it. Gene was warm where he was cold, always offering an easy smile that drew people toward him. He was often quick-tempered but always quick to laugh and quick to forgive. "There's something I need to tell you, but... it's rather difficult to put into words."

His twin, searching his face, reached forward and placed his hand on his cheek reassuringly. "What is it?"

"I should have told you earlier. You'll hate me." Naru sighed. "Or you'll think I'm insane."

"I could never," Gene said with a gentle, concerned smile. He leaned forward, encouragingly, resting his hands on the table. "Tell me, Noll."

Naru sat in silence for several moments, wondering how he should begin. Thoughts swirled in his head. Traveling around Japan, searching for the lake. London and Tokyo. Days and nights with Mai.

"Is it about Mai?" Gene suddenly asked, as if reading his thoughts.

"She's... very much involved in all of this." Naru sighed. "I suppose I could start there. I've known her for a very long time. When we told you that we met when she visited London, we were lying. I'm sorry."

Gene looked puzzled. "You didn't meet in London? Where did you meet, then?"

"Here, in Tokyo."

Gene looked startled. "But..."

"It was in late March, of this year." Naru's eyes clouded as he recalled the memory of that time. "The cherry blossoms had opened early due to a mild spring, I remembered hearing people say." He sighed and dropped his head into his hands. His words seemed slow and cumbersome. "I've lived this before, Gene. I've lived this day and many others, far into the future."

Gene kept his face an unreadable mask, though Naru knew his brother was startled. After a short silence, he spoke. "You've never... been precognitive," he finally said softly.

"No, Gene. I know what would have happened, had I not returned to prevent it." He released a shuddering sigh. "The first time you took this trip to Japan I did not come to help you. I was stubborn and I wasn't interested in the past. You were..." He swallowed, his voice suddenly tight, his hands beginning to shake as the words tumbled forth. Tears formed in his eyes as he relived the moment he had witnessed through the green haze of death. "You were alone. Alone, and... you died." Gene noticed the dampness in his brother's eyes with alarm but remained silent. "You were killed and your body was dumped into a lake." Naru released his breath in a shuddering sigh. "A hit and run. I came to Japan to find you. By then it was too late. I came here to retrieve your body."

The two sat in silence for a very long time. Gene would not meet his brother's gaze. "And you met Mai?" he suddenly asked, his voice thin.

"I opened an office as a pretense to search for you. Ghost hunting. I met Mai when I was here. She worked in the office with us," Naru said honestly. "I came here with Lin."

Gene's face fluctuated between shock and disbelief. Naru could see that his brother was struggling to believe him, unwilling to doubt his brother but afraid of accepting the implications the truth would reveal. "You.. remember everything?" He asked with difficulty, frowning. "What about Mai? If she recognized me.. and lied..." His wide eyes searched his brother's face for answers. "She remembers the future as well, doesn't she? What does she know about me?" He demanded.

Naru closed his eyes for several moments, trembling. "You guided her through her dreams," he finally said, his eyes troubled as he gazed at his brother. "After your death. Not knowing I had a twin and doubting her own abilities, she thought it was I in her dreams for a very long time. Only after I found you did I tell her the truth."

"How.. long was that?"

"A little more than a year."

Gene looked at the table sullenly. "How... did you come back? To now?"

Naru held his brow with his fingers. "I... honestly couldn't tell you."

"You must have used PK, didn't you? I bet you killed yourself in the process."

"Yes. That is my speculation," he admitted, and exhaled. "Mai and I were together. I fell in love with her."

"Then what happened?" Gene said, his voice suddenly bitter.

"She... she was hit by a car. I... I turned back time to reverse her death."

Gene said nothing, his eyes somewhat hard as he gazed at a point beyond his brother's face. The only sound between them was the sound of their breathing. Gene's was even and calm. Naru could feel his own heart thudding in his chest.

"I don't believe that I did it alone." Naru said softly. "I believe it was only possible because you helped me. Somehow. If only I had known earlier, I would have—"

"No," Gene said suddenly, rising to his feet abruptly, his thighs hitting the table and the cups and glasses clattering against each other. "Don't say it. I don't want to hear it."

Naru rose to his feet shakily, feeling weak and sick in his stomach. "Gene," he started.

"Don't say it," he growled. He stilled, though he did not turn to meet his brother's gaze. "You chose her over me."

"How could I choose between you?" Naru asked, his voice very quiet. "How could I say that I love you more than her, or her more than you? You are... the most precious people to me. My love for you is different but I love the both of you more than anything in this world."

Gene wasn't listening. He was distancing himself from his brother. "I died," he murmured. "I died while I was looking for our family, here in Japan." He turned his angry gaze onto his brother. "You already know about them, then. The Nilsons and Mitsuki Shibuya."

"No," Naru said honestly. "I never knew anything about them."

Gene's brow furrowed with confusion. "But why—?"

"I never knew what became of your search," Naru admitted, hesitating. "You didn't speak of it. And I never continued the investigation in your stead."

"Why not?" Gene burst out. "Why the bloody hell not, Noll?"

Naru looked pained. "I told you, Gene. I simply... did not have the drive to find them, as you did. I had you. You were my family. We had Martin and Luella. I was content with that. And after you died… there was even less of a reason to find them. What would have been the point?"

Gene's face darkened and he turned suddenly, striding toward the door.

"Gene, wait.."

"Just.. give me some time to think about what you've said." Gene said, his face turned away from his brother. "I won't.. do anything foolish. I just need a little time to myself."

He knew, with certainty, that his brother had spoken with finality. The remaining task of his undertaking was to leave him alone. He had said what he needed to—at least he hoped it was what was needed to explain the situation—and now he had to wait, to see how the weight of his words would be processed. And so Naru stood, resigned, as the door closed behind him and his twin disappeared, leaving him alone in what seemed to him an empty, lonesome room.

...

Mai had been doodling in her notebook when she suddenly sat up straight, a shiver traveling her arms. She began to wish for school to end so she did not have to sit still, knowing that there was something she needed to do, somewhere she needed to go. She wasn't sure what it was, but it certainly wasn't at the school.

When the bell rang, she left her books in her desk and hastily left the classroom, hurriedly putting on her jacket.

"Mai," Michiru called after her as she all but ran down the hall. "What's wrong? You left all your books!"

"Sorry, Michiru, I just remembered I have to do something. I'll get them later, I have to go!" Mai called back, barely slowing her pace and offering a wave to her troubled friend, who stared after her with concern. "See you tomorrow!"

She moved by instinct, taking the train first to a different area of the city and then continuing down a crowded street. She hurried by the busy temple, the atmosphere quieting as she reached the riverside park. She now knew that she was hurrying to meet one of the Davis twins, though she still did not know who or what she needed to do when she met him.

Everything fell into place when she saw him. Gene was standing at the edge of the path against the railing, his hands deep in his pockets as he stared at the water. She was suddenly very nervous and wondered what it was that had driven her to come here. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Mai approached him and took a similar stance by his side, her own hands in the pockets of her coat as she gazed forward.

He did not turn his head to acknowledge her presence. "What are you doing here?" He finally asked, almost grudgingly. "How did you know where to find me?"

Mai shrugged, gazing out over the river, her eyes avoiding his. "Just a feeling, I guess."

"Did Noll ask you to come?" He asked, eyeing her carefully.

She shook her head and was silent for a moment, lips pursed together as she contemplated what to say. "I take it... he told you. I'm sorry for lying to you," she said, her voice dropping. "You know, now, I assume, that I knew who you were when I saw you."

He nodded tersely, a frown deepening his face. "You should have said something."

She sighed, pulling her hands out of her pocket to lean her elbows on the railing, watching several ducks fly down onto the water, fluttering their wings. "I'm sorry," she repeated. "I didn't know what to do. Would you have believed me, even? I guess I didn't think you would. Or I didn't think I could explain it to you, that it wasn't my place. Maybe that was wrong. Maybe I should have told you, right away. But even your brother, who seems to always know what to do, didn't know how to tell you. It was a difficult situation to be in, Gene." She could see that he was reluctant to be convinced, and continued. "I don't mean to justify our actions. In the end, we betrayed your trust. I'm sorry."

He looked away, aware of his own unwillingness and somehow ashamed of it. "I don't suppose I have a very good reason to be mad at you. I haven't been exactly truthful with you, either. Did Noll tell you?" When she didn't speak he elaborated. "Why I came to Japan."

She shook her head, leaning away from the railing and turning toward him. "I was told originally that you were visiting mediums, but..." her voice trailed off. When his firm gaze prompted her to finish, she continued. "Other than that I don't know. But it seems to be more than that."

"What do you know about me?" He asked, his voice suddenly very quiet.

"I know that you are the youngest and most celebrated, perhaps the only perfect medium in England," she started, without hesitation. "While not well-known in the general eyes of the public, you are renowned among academic and parapsychological circles. That you and your brother were labeled _The Most Powerful Psychic Pair in Documented History _by some researchers at the British Society for Psychic Research," Mai said blandly. "Or something ostentatious like that." She paused, flushing and looking thoroughly embarrassed of what she had just said. "If that's what you're asking. But that's all." Her face grew pained and her voice dropped even softer, her gaze riveted on Gene's sneakers. "The only other things I knew of you before I met you at the station a few days ago was that you were Naru's brother. That you were terribly kind and patient with a fool like me. That I was fortunate to have met you, even if it was only a shadow of your former self." Tears had formed in her eyes and fell to the sidewalk from her tilted head. Though he could not see her eyes, Gene noticed the splatters on the pavement immediately. "Your death was a tragedy that I couldn't ever understand. Now that I've met you, I know that. I really like you. You never should have died."

Gene averted his gaze, uncomfortable to see her crying. "Don't say that." He frowned, placing his hand comfortingly on top of her head. "You died, too. It's not like my death was anything that significant."

"But it was!" Mai protested. "More than you could know. You can't imagine the effect your death had on the people that love you." Mai sniffed softly and wiped at her eyes, embarrassed for her outburst. "I wasn't there, and I didn't know you the first time, before you died. But I don't want you to go through that pain. I want you to live. I don't want the person most precious to Naru to disappear. I want you two to be happy together," she finished softly.

"Most precious," Gene scoffed, disbelief evident in his voice.

"Don't say that," Mai said quickly, her voice trembling. "He'd do anything to save your life, Gene. So.. don't say that. Please... don't be angry."

"He chose you over me," he muttered darkly. "How can I not be a little pissed off?"

"No," she said, shaking her head vehemently. "He didn't. He doesn't need to choose between us, Gene. It's not like that. We're not.. mutually exclusive."

Gene swallowed, and spoke slowly. "Because I live, Mai, your future will be different. Are you okay with that?"

"That's the point!" She found that she was crying again. "I'm happy that I get to stand here next to you today. I'm so happy that I get to meet the real, living, breathing Gene who has a full life ahead of him. I'm happy that we can come back here and do anything to avoid that happening again. So that your brother and your parents, and Lin and Madoka, and all your friends and co-workers and classmates and professors, everyone you ever meet will get to live by your side. I'm glad that no one has to receive the news that Eugene Davis died." She finished, her voice dropping to a whisper.

"People die all the time."

"I know," Mai whimpered.

"Your parents are dead. _My _parents are dead, too. So why are we alive, Mai?" Gene asked quietly. "Why are we the ones that get a do-over?"

"I don't know. John would say it's all part of God's divine plan," Mai mumbled softly. "But I'm not a Christian so I can't say that."

Gene sighed. "If anything, it's _this _that doesn't seem fair. But I guess that's how the world works. Whatever you call it, we've been placed in an extraordinary position. In the end, it amounts to the same thing, no matter what you want to call it," he said, his voice sounding resigned. He lifted his gaze to follow the ducks as they flew up and away from the water. "Whether it's fate, destiny, kismet, or karma. The will of God or the wrath of God. Divine retribution. Or chance, coincidence, a cosmic accident. Whatever. We're here today." he exhaled loudly and frowned. "Please stop crying, Mai. I didn't want to make you cry and people are beginning to stare."

"I'm not crying," Mai said, wiping at her eyes again, a small smile hitching the corner of her lips.

He placed his hand on her chin and lifted her face, meeting her eyes. Gazing at her for several moments in silence, Mai found her cheeks growing hot. "G..Gene?"

"Good." He dropped his hand. "Just making sure you're not lying," he said, a small smile twitching his lips, and Mai flushed in embarrassment. He began to walk down the path, gesturing with his head for her to follow him. They walked together side by side for several minutes before Gene spoke again. "I'm hungry. What about you?"

"Mhn, I'm okay."

Gene appraised her, raising an eyebrow. "I'd ask you to treat me to something to make up for this, but it would probably be wrong to make a destitute student to buy me food, huh?"

"I'm not _destitute_. I can treat you. If you want something, I'll buy it," Mai said stubbornly, refusing to admit that the money in her purse wasn't hers, but a loan from her friend.

"Okay. Then I want takoyaki." Gene said, pointing at a food vendor up the way.

Mai nodded briskly and went to the stand, waiting for the older couple that was currently being served. When it was her turn she purchased a small container, which she passed to Gene who immediately speared one of the dumplings with a toothpick and popped it in his mouth. "They sell juice and soda, too. Do you want something to drink?"

"Coke, " he demanded between chews.

Mai turned back to the vendor. "One coke, please."

"That's 750 yen." The man handed her the beverage and Mai passed him several coins from her wallet. She turned back to Gene, who was thoughtfully munching on the takoyaki.

"Have you ever had takoyaki before?" Mai asked as they stepped away from the stand. He shook his head. "Do you like it?"

Gene swallowed. "Yeah. It's good. What's in it, besides octopus?"

"Mm, probably green onion or pickled ginger. And _tenkasu_." Seeing the look on his face she elaborated quickly. "Leftover deep-fried tempura batter. Or something to that effect."

"Sounds delicious," Gene snorted, piercing another takoyaki, though his expression was pleasant. "Because deep frying this batter isn't good enough, we need to put _little pieces of deep fried batter _inside it and _then _deep fry it."

"Well, it's good, right?" She laughed. "Besides, don't make fun of Japanese food. _Your _country's the one with the chip butty. Because bread isn't enough carbohydrates as it is, let's make a sandwich with french fries," she imitated with a high, sarcastic voice.

"Yeah, yeah." He waved her quiet, but a grin had spread across his features. When he finished eating the takoyaki, he passed her the empty container and she handed him the soda in response. Passing a rubbish bin, she tossed the container in and returned her hands to her pockets.

They walked in silence for several minutes as Gene drank the soda, tossing into the next bin they passed when it was empty.

"Do you want to go back to the hotel?" Mai asked softly, breaking the silence. An anxious look flickered on her face. "I'm sure Naru is worried about you."

"I suppose so." Gene said, and his lips quirked in a grin. "Your English is almost flawless, Mai, but you still call him Naru? Not Noll? "

Mai flushed. "I started calling him Naru as soon as I met him. Naru for narcissistic."

"He can be a little full of himself," Gene admitted. "How long ago was that?"

She hesitated. "Fifteen... sixteen years ago."

His mouth dropped open in surprise. "I... I had no idea it had been so long," he finally said. "How old would you be if you hadn't died, then?"

"Thirty two. If I hadn't died the first time. Otherwise, twenty-four."

Gene frowned, a puzzled expression clouding his eyes. "The first time?" He repeated.

_Oh, no_, Mai thought, swallowing quickly. "Naru... Naru didn't tell you that this is the second time?"

Gene's frown deepened, his eyebrows lowering and eyes darkening. "No. He didn't."

Mai swallowed again and looked away. She felt as though someone had dropped a block of ice in the pit of her stomach, the cold feeling spreading throughout her body. "I..." But she couldn't form a coherent thought besides _Oh no, oh no, no, no, I shouldn't have said that..._

Gene stopped directly in front of her, facing her with anger growing in his stormy blue eyes. Mai's breath caught in her throat. _This is what Lin meant. That Gene would think that Naru's betrayed him_.

"Tell me, Mai. What happened the first time?" He demanded furiously. "Naru came back for you?"

"Well, yes—I mean, well—" Mai stammered.

"_Well_?" He repeated incredulously. "What else are you lying about?" His voice rose all but to a shout, and Mai shrank away, his words more painful than if he had slapped her.

"Gene," she whispered, pleading. She didn't know why but she was afraid, fearful of this escalation. "I.. I didn't know that he hadn't told you. I'm sure he wants to, he's probably... just nervous about saying it all at once. Don't be mad. Naru wants to tell you everything, but you know him. He doesn't know how. Please be patient. He'll tell you everything. We'll.. we'll just go back to the hotel and..."

"I am not as patient as you think I am." Gene growled, cutting her words short. "How can I believe that self-consumed bastard now? Will he ever tell me the truth? Will _you_ ever tell me the truth?" Mai opened her mouth to reassure him but he spoke harshly before any sounds left her throat. "You've already lied to me. _He_ probably wouldn't have said anything if he hadn't felt threatened," he spat. "Didn't want his insignificant _younger brother_ getting too close to his girl."

"That's not it," Mai whispered, flinching at his cold words. "Please believe us. Please trust us."

Without warning Gene grabbed Mai's shoulders, leaning his head toward her and resting his forehead on hers, hands suddenly clutching her temples. She cried out in surprise. "I don't want to hear it in bits and pieces. I want to know the truth. All of it. _So show me_," he whispered and her head spun as she remembered, remembering from the very beginning.

A strange boy entering the classroom, turning on the light and smiling at her friends. _What a fake smile. Is he scheming something?_ In the dusty room, a camera tipped, crashing against the ground. She didn't yet know his name, but it was Lin's blood on the ground. His face, twisted in pain, sneering at her. _Get away from me. I don't need your help._

_You should get a little more rest. _A boy in her dreams, smiling a kind smile. Closing her eyes, feeling content to know he was there by her side. _I wish you'd smile like that more often. _Deep blue eyes, gazing at her with tenderness and concern. _This place is dangerous. You should go back to where the others are_.

The vision began to move jerkily, unnaturally quick as it passed through her memories. Disjointed moments in fast-forward and rewind. _The wind is gone and my ears are ringing. What is that? _ Ghostly eyes, thirsty for blood, ignored her and stared hungrily at the man by her side. _It was only a dream._ The bones of a child, hidden behind a statue. _Maybe he's a qigong master. That would explain why restraints wouldn't do anything. _Leaping into the lake, plunging into the murky depths to grab the hand of a sinking, struggling girl. _Our Father, who art in Heaven. Hallowed be thy name._ A horde of the undead, rattling the shutters, louder than the panicked voices of the living. _You should stay, or you'll never see him again_. Standing among a thousand soft points of light, drifting aimlessly through the building. _Have faith in Naru. You don't really think he would betray our beliefs, do you?_ Vision wavering as glass shattered around her, the strong chemical smell overwhelming her senses. _You idiot! You could have died, do you understand that?_ An enormous mansion in the middle of the forest. _We all felt that we were treated like dogs. Any of us could have written that note._ Her feet dragging against the ground as she was pulled forward, the smell of blood growing stronger. _You'd better look for another job. The office will close upon my return. _The terrible crunching sound as the enormous dog crushed the desk in its maw. _She said they were looking for a corpse. _A talking coin that made her forget the cold darkness they were trapped within, bringing a smile to her lips. _This is wrong! Naru, I hate everything you stand for! _The rumbling crash of a building sinking into the ground. _In a fight to the death I would be utterly defeated._ Watching him as he clutched the railing, gazing at the lake with loss and hopelessness and fear all but hidden on his face. _This is all my fault._ The chilling giggle of a possessed child. _The ocean washes the dead bodies ashore_. The ice cold hands of a ghost, holding her tight against the wall. _That's enough already! Why do we have to go so far for your pride?_ The calming sound of a priestess' bell. _Dr. Davis is one of the few people in the world who has psychokinetic abilities and ESP._ A dark form on a white beach, lying still in the sand. _Why does he only call you by your first name?_ The fragrant sweetness of a steaming cup of tea. _You're already becoming more and more capable by yourself, so you'll be okay. Believe in yourself._

_It wasn't a dream. I really did meet Naru. Just now, Naru was here. But... _

She was dizzy, and the astonished face in front of her blurred and lurched upwards. Her ears were ringing fuzzily, but she could also hear the hum of the monitors and the _tak-tak-tak_ of fingers on a keyboard in an otherwise silent room. She could smell the metallic smell of blood, hear it dripping in the darkness. _It's extremely dangerous here. Wake up and get out._

She couldn't tell what was real and what was a memory. _How could I have forgotten the people I came here with? _The warmth of his hand holding hers tightly. A photograph of twins, standing side by side. Walking down the street, sharing an umbrella. _There is a place I'd like to take you. Will you come with me?_

_"Noll," a panicked voice called._

_I let go of his hand, and he's gone_.

Staring out over the ocean together, the wind blowing her hair away from her face. _Do you mean me, or Gene? _A tight grip around her ankle, pulling her back toward the darkness. _Thank you for all your hard work_. The hum of cicadas in the trees on a hot summer day, the heat of a body lying close to her own. _Mai is extraordinarily sensitive to things that would harm her. She has the ability to distinguish between friend and foe._

Laughter. _That means her mind is like a wild animal, right?_

He was supporting her limp body, running toward the street, flagging a taxi. _Come to England with me._ Laughing with the others until tears formed in her eyes. _Calm down and put your foot on the ladder. You can do it, right? _The spirits of trapped children, screaming in pain and loneliness. _I want to be with my precious friends._ _I want to leave this place with them and return to Tokyo together._

_"What have you done?"_

_"Help me, Noll, it's Mai, she_—_"_

Watching a somber figure in black place flowers on the grave._ No matter what happens, stay close to me._ The sound of ocean waves, crashing against the rocks resounded in her ears and she succumbed to the darkness.

...

* * *

A/N: A billion thanks to everyone who has waited patiently as I pulled this chapter together, encouraged me and reviewed. And many thanks to Kyia Star, who introduced me to Until Death Do Us Part, totally sweetest manga (since Ghost Hunt) ever. (I swear I am not helplessly distracted.)

edit: Milia pointed out that this is confusing, so let me clarify: When Gene calls himself as the "younger brother", he is referring to the fact that Naru has lived past him and past his death into the future. Thus, Naru, the younger brother, is actually older than him. Sorry for the confusion!

As always, feedback, comments, constructive criticism is always appreciated. Until Part V!


	5. Part V

_**Part V**_

His brother was waiting for him, standing outside the building in the evening shadow beneath the lilac tree. His hands were deep in the pockets of his coat and his face was set in a stern mask, a serious meaning he couldn't quite decipher. Noll always hid his outward emotions, but usually Gene had no trouble seeing them in his brother's stoic face. Now, however, was different. Whether Noll was upset, agitated, or genuinely calm, Gene couldn't tell.

When the taxi pulled up to the curb he strode forward, calmly. Gene hopped out of the vehicle and hurried around to the other side, opening the door.

"Let me," Naru said, and bending toward Mai's unresponsive body, slid her out of the back seat gently and picked her up, cradling her to his chest. Gene fished in his pocket for some money and paid the cab driver, who as he waited, was giving both the twins very suspicious looks.

"She'll be all right?" The man asked, a trace of doubt in his voice.

"She just needs to rest. She's been cramming really hard," Gene assured him, wincing inwardly at the fabrication. He'd offered better lies to his adopted parents than to this stranger. The man nodded dubiously, took the money and slowly drove away, glancing at them through his mirrors.

"Gene," Naru called, and Gene turned, following his brother who had already climbed halfway up the stairs toward Mai's apartment landing.

"The key's in my coat pocket," Naru said, turning his right side toward his brother. Gene reached into the jacket pocket, ignoring the implications of his brother's possession of the key, removed it and unlocked the door.

Stepping inside the apartment brought about the realization that the sun had nearly set and that night would soon be upon them. Her apartment was all but dark, a sliver of dim light coming from the parted curtain of the window.

"Get the light," Naru said, moving both on instinct and following the dim illumination. The door to her bedroom was partially open and he was able to slide it open further with his ankle, the space wide enough for the both of them to pass through. Crossing the room in several short steps, he lay her down gently on her futon and adjusted the pillow beneath her head. He carefully lifted her body to remove her coat, and then straightened her legs and removed her shoes, setting them neatly aside. Finally, he pulled her comforter up to her navel so that her body was partially covered and stepped back, watching her peaceful face and the steady rise and fall of her breathing before turning back toward the other room.

He returned to the main room, sliding the door shut behind him and hanging her coat on a hook near the door. Gene was waiting for him, leaning against the kitchen counter, biting his lower lip in an unusual expression of unease. He'd turned on the main light in the center of the apartment, the once dim room now filled with the warm luminance.

Naru set Mai's shoes on the mat near the door and then slipped off his own before turning his gaze to his brother. He stood for several moments in silence before releasing a sigh, turning to sit at the kotatsu and resting his head against his hands.

"That was utterly reckless. How could you do something so idiotic?" He finally said, though his voice did not sound angry or accusatory. He had chastised his brother countless times before, but tonight his tone was simply weary. He raised his gaze once again to meet his brother's. "Looking into her memories like that without consent. An unwilling mind is a very dangerous thing. You should know that better than anyone, Gene."

Gene released a shuddering sigh. "I'm sorry. I just meant to take a little look, but... I couldn't let go. I didn't mean for that to happen." He exhaled again, heavily. The silence was broken when he spoke again. "She... she has incredible psychic abilities, Noll. If she didn't that wouldn't have happened."

Naru sighed, gesturing for his brother to join him at the table, who did, moving slowly across the room. "Perhaps. But they've only ever manifested when you're around, Gene." He turned his gaze toward the window. Behind the curtains he could see the lavender hue of dusk in the sky. When he spoke again his voice seemed strangely hollow as if he was uninterested in the topic at hand, though Gene knew that was far from the truth. "Perhaps that's the extent of her capabilities, being receptive to your power. Precognition, postcognition. Astral projection. And she did a _jourei_ exorcism without any real guidance. After you stopped visiting her, she only had her intuition to rely upon."

"Her abilities went dormant?"

"You could say it like that." Naru pursed his lips together and dropped his head, once again, into his hands. "I'm sorry, Gene. I should have explained everything properly. I just.. didn't know how."

Gene smiled wanly. "Do you feel like explaining now?"

"Of course. As much as I can."

"What happened the first time?" Gene asked quietly. When Naru frowned, not comprehending, Gene repeated himself. "The first time Mai died?"

Naru inhaled sharply.

"Tell me everything. Please."

"Didn't you already see it?" He gestured his head toward Mai's room.

"I saw a lot, and... I think I understand now," he admitted. "But it was only from her perspective. And I want you to tell me. I want to hear it from you."

Naru turned his sour gaze back to the tabletop. "How she died? How I came back?"

"Let's start with how she died." Gene gazed at his brother calmly. "The first time. I didn't see that."

The younger brother sat in silence for several moments before speaking suddenly. "She was killed by a man who broke into her apartment." Naru traced his finger against the surface of the kotatsu. "They thought he was... looking for money, looking for anything."

"In this dingy place? What did he think he could find?" Naru gave him a piercing look and Gene held up his hand. "Sorry, it's just... ridiculous that anyone would try to rob this tiny apartment." He sighed. "I guess he found her instead."

"Yes." Naru's dark eyes stared forward but he found he wasn't focusing on any object in particular. _Defiled after death_. Thank God Mai did not have any memories of that. And here they were, sitting in the very room that event would have occurred. He exhaled deeply and willed the thoughts from his mind. "I made my decision several days after I heard the news."

"You didn't act on impulse."

Naru ran his hand aimlessly through his hair at the back of his neck. "Perhaps. Perhaps not. I didn't exactly think it through. It was nothing I'd ever considered before."

"Lucky git." Gene's mouth twitched in a grin. "You always were such a determined idiot."

"I prefer the term _genius_," Naru said, a small smirk lifting his lips.

"I suppose you know how you did it, then? Turning back time can't be such an easy feat." He let out a chuckle. "Well, maybe for most people."

Naru shook his head slightly. "I had... a hypothesis," he began slowly.

"Your PK was part of it, no doubt. PK without restraint." When his brother nodded, Gene frowned. "You killed yourself to come back here," he accused. "Who's reckless now?" At his words, Naru smiled very slightly.

"In the end it was nothing more than an idea built out of curiosity. Things were... slightly differently this time. I don't know what that does for the idea." He sighed. "I was certainly never expecting to test it again." His eyes softened, filling with regret. "Though perhaps I should have. Perhaps this is what I should have done all along."

Gene shook his head. "If it didn't work and you wound up dead, I'd never forgive you." He frowned sternly and shook his finger at his brother threateningly. "You'd have to spend eternity with me but I'd always be mad at you."

"Really?" Naru asked lazily, his disbelief evident in his voice.

"I mean it. And from Mai's memories, it looked like you had your fair share of visits to the hospital."

Naru shrugged nonchalantly, folding his arms and resting them in front of him on the table. "Once or twice."

Gene leaned his elbow against the table as he gazed at his brother, a mirror image of himself. It had been strange to see: a figure that looked so similar to his own being, acting out a life in Mai's memories that he hadn't been fortunate enough to see. He had noticed immediately that his brother had always worn black. He'd never been one to dress brightly, but the fact that there had never once been grey or blue slacks, a navy sweater or a formal white buttoned shirt had called attention to the mourning clothes. Surely, just as he said he would never forgive his brother if he let himself die, Noll had never forgiven himself for his own death. He exhaled, suddenly feeling that he had put his brother through a lot of pain. Noll had always been serious, always mature beyond his years. Necessity had required that he be responsible and his intelligence had allowed it. They'd had their share of hardships in the orphanage and growing with an older, comparatively irresponsible brother, of course Noll had had to grow up quickly. Gene knew his brother never laughed or smiled enough and his eyes held a hidden sorrow that he supposed only he, and now Mai, could see. That sadness would always be there, he knew, no matter how well he hid it behind his stoic and arrogant exterior.

"I suppose it all makes sense now." Gene frowned again, slightly. After Mai's death, he realized, his brother must have had the singular desire not to lose another person so precious to him. Except as to when that part had happened, he still didn't know. "Well, not everything. Honestly, the only thing that _doesn't_ really make sense is why you came back for her in the first place. How you two ended up together all of a sudden."

"I suppose it doesn't, does it." Naru's lips twitched upwards. "Of all things, I have stopped being curious about the nature of love."

"But you two hadn't seen each other for quite a long time, right?" Gene pursed his lips, running his hand through his hair as he tried to sort through the memories he had seen. "How long had it been since you'd seen her?"

"I hadn't seen her since I left Japan." The younger twin let out a slow breath. "It had been eight years. Eight years with absolutely no contact."

Gene looked at him skeptically. "What, after all that time you suddenly realized you'd loved her all along? Noll, that doesn't make sense. _Especially_ for someone like you."

"I... was utterly convinced when I left Japan that she had fallen in love with you," he started.

"You _dumbass_," Gene rolled his eyes. "I can't believe you were so stupid. I _saw_ her confession, and I _saw_ you turn her down. That was low, Noll, and rude. Even for you."

Naru looked annoyed and slightly hurt. "I did... come to realize that it was an unfair thing to say to her. That I should have believed her. Even if she didn't have a reason, I shouldn't have discarded her feelings so quickly."

"A reason," Gene snorted. "Everyone knows you don't need a reason to love someone, Noll. _Everyone_."

Naru winced at his brother's judgment. "As time passed I realized I cared for her but..." He shook his head. "Even then I wouldn't have called it _love_. Perhaps I didn't know. But I did.. think of her, often, over those years. I often wanted to contact her, but I was sure she'd have moved on. Everyone from SPR had moved their separate ways. Why wouldn't she have, also?" He had turned his gaze back toward the window, watching the sky darken as he spoke. Gene remained silent, listening to him speak.

"When I'd heard that she'd died, I was almost surprised how upset I was. Perhaps that was the first time I thought my feelings could be something more than just passing nostalgia. Perhaps I had loved her and had held onto this love over the years. Though I didn't let myself think about that too much. Most of all, I wished she hadn't died." He released a large sigh, his shoulders rising and falling as he exhaled. "I didn't want her to die. I wanted to always know that she was out there, living happily, even if I wasn't there to see her. That was my motivation."

"So you went back." Gene said softly.

Naru nodded slightly, a wan smile on his lips. "I wasn't sure what I would do to make sure she didn't die again, eight years into the future, but I had to make sure it wouldn't happen again. I thought I would have a day with her and that we would still part to go our separate ways. I wasn't expecting things to turn out as they did."

His gaze turned distant as he recalled his own memories. "Our trip to Tsuruga was very surreal. Honestly, I don't know why I decided that we should go there in the first place. But it was very fitting. The moment I saw her I knew she remembered the future. She had the eyes of an older woman in an adolescent body. And she was much calmer than she would have been at sixteen, more reserved. As she'd known the time that had passed, I thought surely she would have discarded her feelings for me. But she had felt the same way I did. Not knowing exactly what we felt but longing to see each other again all the same."

"And you asked her to come to England with you." Gene sighed, rubbing his hand through his hair. "And the rest, they say, is history."

"You said that you saw a lot," Naru started, faltering for a moment before continuing. "What exactly did you see of Mai's memories?"

Gene swallowed. "Well..." He hesitated, looking at the table guiltily.

Naru smiled slightly. "Think of it as research, Gene. If anything, I'm curious to know how her mind reacted to your intrusion."

"She seemed to know what I wanted to see," he began. "There was very little that wasn't related to you. She went straight for the memories of how you met, and somewhat haphazardly continued forward from there. Mostly I saw her memories from when you were in Japan; when she worked for you. Bits and pieces of cases and the other people you worked with. And memories of when you met again, after you turned back time."

"Memories of when she came to London?" Naru queried.

Gene frowned slightly. "Yes, but she didn't focus on that, not initially. Only when she began to lose consciousness."

"What happened then?"

"It was strange." He shook his head slightly, closing his eyes. "Well—unexpected, I guess. When she passed out, Noll, the vision continued. It changed but it didn't stop immediately. I could tell that her mind wasn't guiding me as it was before. I saw you and Mai, with Martin and Luella. I saw your wedding. I saw the birth of your child."

Naru swallowed, his throat suddenly tight. "That... that hadn't happened, Gene. Neither of those things happened."

Gene stared at his brother, the color slowly fading from his cheeks. "You mean..."

"That wasn't the future Mai and I experienced. It could have been the future we _would_ have had."

"Or the future of this time." Gene said, voicing his brother's unspoken thoughts.

He nodded. "Yes. _Our_ future."

The two brothers sat in silence for some time. Gene finally broke the stillness. "I guess..." He swallowed. "That makes sense." He sighed slightly, his face relaxing as he smiled at his brother. "I'm glad, Noll. I'm glad that you love her. That you have her love."

A flash of guilt formed on the younger brother's face. "I'm sorry."

Gene's reaction was immediate. "No, don't apologize, stupid. You love her and she loves you. Don't be sorry about that."

"It only took you a day to begin to like her," Naru said, his voice strained. "I worked with her for a year before I began to realize what I was feeling, and I didn't completely understand until I left. Until she died, eight years later. I couldn't bring myself to act on my feelings before that moment." He sighed, rubbing his fingers against the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes. "Eight bloody years and she never once questioned me, as you are now. She should have. She had no reason to believe me." He sighed again, softly, his words dropping under his breath, barely audible to his brother's ears. "I am probably not deserving of her love. I never was."

Gene frowned, seeing his brother's pained expression. Eight years that he had held onto the memory of his dead brother, of himself, before even considering the fact that he could continue to live without him. "You've loved her for a very long time. Perhaps," he started, "when I thought I was beginning to like Mai, it was simply that I instinctively knew how precious she was to you. I felt deeply attached to her, almost immediately. But it was different than how I usually feel with girls. It was..." He paused, thinking. "Maybe it was just real friendship. Mai welcomed me and treated me like a friend from the very beginning."

"And I suppose you _are_ psychic," Naru said, his mouth twitching in a lop-sided grin.

"I am psychic," Gene agreed, laughing softly and draping his arm around his brother's neck. "Surely I'm imagining it, Noll. If I didn't know better I'd say you smile more than you used to."

Instead of his smile vanishing as it used to when attention was drawn to his brother's facial expressions, if anything Naru's face lightened. "Certainly, you're imagining it."

...

Naru had helped himself to Mai's cupboard and had brewed tea. The brothers continued to speak as they drank the hot brew, interrupted only once when Naru went into Mai's bedroom to check on her.

"Still asleep," he confirmed.

"Do you think we need to worry?"

"Not yet," Naru said as he seated himself, shrugging slightly. "Using her abilities always exhausted her. I'm sure you gave her quite the experience."

Identical faces turned when a phone began to ring. The sound was coming from Mai's jacket, hanging on the wall near the door. Gene watched as Naru rose smoothly from the kotatsu and crossed the room, removing the mobile from the coat pocket as it continued to ring.

"It's one of her friends from school," Naru announced, looking at the screen.

"Are you going to answer?" Gene asked tentatively.

"No, I won't. I just hope she isn't missing plans."

The ringing had ceased and the phone chirped after several moments of silence. _One missed call_, the screen declared.

Stepping into Mai's kitchen, Naru set the phone on the counter and opened the cupboard. "I'm feeling a bit peckish, how about you?" It was getting late and neither had eaten anything substantial since midday.

"I could eat something," Gene admitted. The takoyaki he'd eaten in the park was already a distant memory.

Rising slightly on the balls of his feet, Naru pulled out a box of crackers from an upper shelf. "I'm sure Mai won't mind," he said, seeing Gene's odd expression. "We'll buy her some replacements."

"It's... not that," Gene said awkwardly. He didn't know how to describe the strange feeling of seeing his brother—the brother that had never opened up to anyone except himself—so comfortable in a setting that in the past he would have rejected. Perhaps just a week ago he would have refused such complacency. It made him both lonesome and proud: happy to see the transformation but afraid of being left behind.

Naru gazed at his brother for a moment. "I'm still me, you know," he said quietly.

"I know," Gene said. "Sorry. Now that I know..." His voice trailed off. "I guess I notice some differences more."

The still phone made a brief curious sound, breaking the silence and startling both of them. Naru turned and picked it up, looking at the lit up screen.

"What now?" Gene asked.

"Text message," Naru glanced toward the door that hid Mai's slumbering form, hesitating for only a moment before opening the text. He frowned slightly as he read it.

"What is it?"

"Her friend Michiru. She's worried, asking if she'll get back to the school to retrieve her books for her homework." He sighed and closed the phone gently, stepping over to the kotatsu and setting both it and the box of crackers on the surface of the table. "I'll go to the school. I can pick them up for her." He bent and picked up his teacup, drinking the last swallow before the dregs with one quick motion. "I think I remember where Mai's classroom is, where her desk is."

"Do you want me to come with you? Suppose you can't find it?"

Naru shook his head, stepping over to the door and bending to put on his shoes. "One of us should stay here for when Mai wakes up. If I don't remember... well, I can always use psychometry, I suppose." Seeing the instant apprehension form on his brother's face, he continued quickly. "Just a little. I'll be cautious."

Gene pursed his lips, his hands tightening instinctively in his lap. "Be careful, okay? It makes me nervous, not being there with you."

Naru smiled, his face relaxing. "You are, though, Gene, and that sets me at ease."

...

She knew she wasn't dreaming; this definitely wasn't a dream. And she knew she wasn't asleep, either, but she certainly wasn't exactly conscious. Her eyes were closed and her body was unresponsive. She was vaguely aware of the sound of a car door being opened and voices.

"Let me," a distant voice said calmly.

She recognized his voice. It was always calm. When her own heart was pounding he'd speak like this, always to her amazement. Were she to place her head against his chest, she thought, the beat of his heart would be as steady as a metronome. Not like her own, the quickened heartbeat of a frightened rabbit that leapt in her chest the moment she was startled or confused.

She remembered his voice when he'd first kissed her and asked her to return with him to England. Neither of them had held any certainty for the future but he'd asked her to be a part of his—or rather, it seemed, if he could be a part of hers. Certainly at that moment she hadn't been expecting him to kiss her. The act itself was an indisputable confession of his own tentative feelings, more surely than if he had spoken them aloud.

_"Come to England with me."_ He had asked her as they stood on the sidewalk outside her apartment building, shaded beneath the overgrown lilac tree. _"London,"_ he'd said, _"is smaller than Tokyo and it rains more, but I think,"_ he'd paused, then, as he gazed at her, studying her, _"you might like it."_

The words of a man speaking on impulse, but delivered as if he'd contemplated it for years without a trace of uncertainty in his voice. This was how he spoke.

She remembered his voice when they'd come to pick her up at London Heathrow, he and his adopted parents. Her tired and aching feet hadn't even been on the foreign soil for half an hour when she saw them. The woman immediately swept her into her arms in a warm hug; the two men easily taking her luggage out of her hands.

She was incredibly nervous about meeting his parents and overwhelmed with the thought of leaving her homeland behind. She was so anxious about her language skills and how the couple would take to her she was almost queasy. He, on the other hand, was nothing but calm. His face the embodiment of serenity, blue eyes like a deep, placid lake.

And now, how he spoke again, calm and composed. Of the voices filtered through the muted shadows of her stupor, only his was she able to distinguish. His words drifted gently over her and she too began to feel calm. She thought that perhaps she should be frightened: though why exactly, she couldn't remember. At any rate, it didn't matter anymore. He was there with her. She could not see him but his voice was a consolation in itself.

Her languid body was picked up gently, strong arms supporting her close to his chest and he began to walk. The sound of his steps on concrete, the rhythm of his body as he climbed a set of stairs. Stepping through a threshold into a quiet, familiar place; deposited gently at last onto something soft.

He was moving away and she wanted to protest his departure, but her mind was sluggish and unwilling to hold onto the thought. Instead it was the memory of the airport that had taken root and she was transported back to that spring day. She remembered many of the little details with surprising accuracy. It had been an easy flight with only a little turbulence on their descent. She remembered the kind stewardess; a Japanese-American woman who had noticed her anxiety and had stopped to talk to her when all the other passengers in the cabin were asleep. She recalled peeling off the plastic wrap on the packaged meal to reveal three neatly divided sections of food: rice, vegetables and meat. How the steam curled from the rice and she'd eaten only that, finding no appetite for the rest. She'd arrived in early afternoon of a brilliantly sunny day, white clouds dotting the English sky. It had been a windy day, too—but she hadn't noticed until she went outside, later, to the car.

Luella had been wearing a blue and green patterned dress, Martin in a greyish blue suit jacket. Naru was as handsome as ever, the top two buttons of his collared shirt open, exposing his collar bone. They did not linger and they left the airport without delay. Her gaze had been all but glued to the window for the entirety of the trip. Naru had watched her with faint amusement, next to her in the backseat as she, wide-eyed and clutching at his forearm, gazed at the buildings pass as they drove east into the city. Entering their neighborhood, she'd gaped at the beautiful old buildings, facades made of pale stone with well-manicured hedges lining the street.

When they arrived at the Davis residence Luella had hurried into the kitchen and began to heat up a late lunch as Naru showed her around the house and to the room she would be staying in. He'd set her suitcase by the door as he stepped inside the room, brightly lit from golden afternoon sunlight streaming through the window. She'd followed him slowly, her eyes tracing over the clean white walls, the colorful patchwork quilt on bed and the wooden dresser, desk and matching chair set against the wall. Her eyes finished at the bright window, partially covered by thin white curtains. A prism hung from the center of the curtain rod, sending small fragmented rainbows around the room. It was there that he'd stood, looking out at the apple tree that would hold her own gaze many times over the coming years in her residence at the Davis house.

She remembered how he'd stiffened after she approached him and put her small arms around him in a tight embrace. How he had slowly relaxed, lifting his arms to close around her, his hands resting on the small of her back. How they'd stood together, all but immobile, until the voice of his mother broke the silence, calling from downstairs and beckoning them to lunch.

She'd been extremely nervous about Martin and Luella but the two had eased her fears instantly and welcomed her wholeheartedly. She wouldn't have been able to pinpoint the moment it happened, but as she lived with them she gradually became part of the family. Unofficially, of course, though there were times that they had dropped hints to suggest that they wanted it set in ink on paper and the national register.

She didn't know how she could have survived London without the two. Whenever she was discouraged and Naru was being particularly disagreeable and petulant, Luella would find a sure way to distract her from it all. His adopted mother was particularly apt to notice Mai's fluctuations in mood and temperament and was very sensitive to her homesickness. She had, herself, moved far from her home, once. Mai remembered sitting in the kitchen on a particularly hot summer evening, Luella frying _dosas_ and a potato curry simmering on the stove. Luella told her about how she had lived in Sri Lanka from the time she was nine until she was fourteen. Laughing, she told Mai that she had cried for weeks, both times, when she had to move. Very soon into Mai's stay, Luella developed the habit of taking her to the Japanese market whenever she was downtrodden and homesick. There, Mai would browse fashion magazines or buy a familiar Japanese snack.

Luella had become a motherly figure and a friend, someone Mai could respect and confide in as well as someone from whom she could seek advice. Mai had made friends of her peers, of course, through her classes at the university, but she was more likely to spend time with the Davis family and their associates at BSPR. She remembered an evening when Naru, Martin and Lin were out of town at a parapsychology conference and how Luella had invited Madoka and Sarah, not yet Lin's wife but fiancée at the time, over for dinner. Sarah had brought homemade foccacia and Madoka made a chocolate cake. The four had drank wine on the porch, talking and laughing as the evening stars rose, the autumn sky darkening and hurrying them inside.

Martin, too, had done his best to make her at ease with her new family. She remembered in particular a time he'd taken her camping. Naru hadn't been keen on the idea but he'd come along without much complaint. It had been a beautiful old forest in which they picked their campsite, setting up their tents and roasting marshmallows in the clearing between the huge trees. It was before dawn when Martin woke them, steaming tea and coffee to coax them from the tent. The took thermoses and went to the lake. It had been a beautiful sunrise. The water was like glass but for the ripples of fish and insects dotting the surface. Naru read comfortably at a respectable distance from the water; she and Martin took up the ambitious task of fishing.

All of it had been a struggle: the poles were tangled with the line, the tackle box turned over and hooking the bait made her squeamish. As the sun rose it became breezy and more than once the fishing line had gotten caught in the bushes. But their efforts were worthwhile: just when she thought she'd give up and join Naru in one of the comfortable chairs there was a tug on her line. She and Martin reeled in the enormous fish together, laughing and shouting in disbelief as they did so. Even Naru had put his book down to watch the spectacle. Later, after Martin had cleaned the fish, they grilled it over the fire and Mai ate, for the very first time, something she had caught with her own hands. Later that night they'd gone out in the absolute darkness to stargaze. Holding Naru's hand tightly she watched the night sky, brilliant and unfathomable in its darkness and immensity. Every time they saw a shooting star he'd squeeze her fingers gently and she would wish for their continued happiness, closing her eyes and squeezing his hand back in response.

She did not regret leaving her home country to be with him. The first years had been difficult and the ones that followed hadn't been easy, but she wouldn't have traded their time together for anything. She remembered the time he had taken a case in Scotland, an old hotel on a lake. At the end of many nerve-wracking days and restless nights they had returned to their cabin and he had collapsed next to her on the bed in exhaustion. Lying next to him she'd held him in her arms, her head resting against his chest. She'd thought he'd fallen asleep but he began to hum, the sound resonating in his chest and in her ears. She'd never heard him sing or even hum before. The simple melody was sweet and beautiful, yet full of sorrow. His voice dropped into silence and his breathing deepened.

When she awoke the following morning his head was resting on her shoulder. She'd laid there for quite some time, listening to his even breathing, watching his eyes dart behind the closed lids in a dream. Eventually, she climbed out of the bed carefully as not to wake him and began to make tea. When she returned to the bedside his eyes opened. Instead of rising for the tea, he'd taken her hand and pulled her toward him, onto the bed, leaving the tea to go cold. It would be the first time they would consummate their love; the first time their bodies joined in passion. She had been twenty years old. They'd been together three years before they taken that final step, but nothing about their relationship was normal. She didn't mind.

_Naru_, she'd whispered, clutching his face in her hands. _You know how I love you, don't you?_

_I know_, he'd replied, burying his face in her neck. _And I you._

_I know_, she'd laughed quietly, tears of happiness forming in her eyes. _I know_.

...

Mai opened her eyes slowly, taking a moment to let her vision adjust to the dim light of the room, tracing over the details of her Tokyo bedroom of her fifteen-year old self. After the vivid memories she'd just experienced she'd almost expected to wake up in Scotland in the arms of her beloved. She began to sit up, rising onto her elbows but fell back onto her futon when a wave of nausea overcame her. Her breath catching in her throat, she squeezed her eyes tightly closed and exhaled slowly. When she opened her eyes again a dark clothed figure was at her side, leaning toward her with concern evident in his deep blue eyes.

"Where's Naru?" Her voice almost sounded foreign through the faint buzzing in her ears.

"He went to your school. To pick up your books," Gene explained.

Mai frowned. "He didn't need to do that." She closed her eyes again. The buzzing had lessened and now she was painfully aware of her heartbeat, thudding and echoing in her skull. "Sorry, give me a minute," she mumbled, waiting for the pounding to fade away.

Gene watched her with alarm, relief crossing his face as she opened her eyes again. "I'm sorry," he finally said, breaking the silence. "I shouldn't have done that. I lost my temper and..." his voice trailed off. "Do you feel okay?"

"More or less," Mai said, smiling wanly, deciding not to mention the bout of nausea, the headache or the deep exhaustion that seemed set in the marrow of her bones. "What about you?"

"I'm fine," he said hurriedly.

"Did you see everything?"

"More or less." Gene echoed, his face a sad smile. Despite the rarity in which he smiled that that in his breathing life, it was a very familiar expression. After death, in her dreams, he almost always seemed to be smiling that gentle, melancholy smile. "At least of your days at SPR. Noll filled in the missing pieces."

"I'm sorry," Mai said, and he shook his head.

"I'm the one who should be sorry, Mai." He rose soundlessly to his feet. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"I'll get up," she said, almost cringing at the thought of moving again. "And I need to change out of my uniform."

"Do you need help?" He immediately flushed after his words. "I mean, Noll will be back soon," he continued quickly. "He shouldn't be long."

For the first time Mai was acutely aware of Gene's youth. He was of course a teenaged boy, while his twin brother was not. In fact, had Naru ever acted like a teenager? She couldn't think of a time that he had. "I'll be fine," she smiled genuinely at him. "Don't worry, Gene. I'll be right there."

He nodded and stepped back into the main room, his cheeks still warm. "I'll heat some water for tea," he mumbled, sliding the door shut behind him.

It took her several minutes to rise and the process of changing out of her school uniform and hanging it in the closet was surprisingly difficult. Her bones felt like they were made of gelatin and her limbs trembled unsteadily as she pulled a t-shirt over her head and slipped into a pair of stretchy knit pants. As the minutes passed, however, the unsteadiness began to fade. The hooded sweatshirt she was able to slip on with ease, though her fingers initially had difficulty with the zipper. Feeling a shiver run through her body, she pulled socks over her bare toes and looped a knit scarf loosely about her neck.

She slid the door open and she stepped into the main room. Her movements felt somehow awkward so she moved slowly and gingerly. In the kitchen, Gene was straining the leaves out of a cup of tea, the steam curling in the air. She wondered what type of tea it was, trying to run the teas she had seen in her cupboard through her mind. Though she had just made tea that morning, she couldn't seem to remember what teas she possessed or what it could be.

The nausea and shakiness was all but past but she still felt weak so she sat down at the kotatsu. There were two cups already sitting on the surface of the table, she noticed, with the dregs of tea in the bottom of each cup. Her mobile phone was also sitting on the table.

"You had a phone call a little while ago," Gene explained as he saw where her gaze was directed. "I think there's a voice mail."

Mai nodded, picking up the phone and flipping it open with her thumb, scrolling through the history. "Naru went to the school for my books because of this message, didn't he?" Gene nodded and she sighed. "He really didn't need to do that."

"Don't you have homework?"

"Yeah, but it could be late." Mai shrugged and snapped the phone shut, placing it back on the table. "Honestly, I'm no stellar student. No one would be surprised." She had just pulled the blanket over her knees and around her as Gene approached, bending down to pass the cup of tea to her carefully.

"Thank you," she said as she accepted the cup from him, smiling as she inhaled the steam. "Mm, smells good. What is it?"

"Aki bancha." Gene sat down next to her, watching her as she sipped the hot beverage carefully. "Okay?" he asked tentatively.

She smiled broader as she set the cup down. "Mmn, it's great. Still too hot to drink," she admitted. "But it's nice. Thank you very much."

"Good."

"Do you want anything?"

"Nah, I'm fine. I had some earlier. Noll made some." He gestured toward the cups on the table. "And you know, tea's not exactly.. my thing," he said, shrugging and turning his gaze away from hers.

"I think there's juice in the fridge," Mai offered, but he shook his head in response. Like his brother several nights before, his eyes wandered around the room, stopping on various points, including the stuffed lion he had given her after their trip to the zoo.

She had drunk almost half the cup of tea when Gene spoke again. "When you saw me at the train station... I assume that didn't happen last time. Did you know I was going to be there?"

She shook her head but took her time to finish the tea, not answering him immediately. "No, I didn't. It was just coincidence that I saw you. Or coincidence that I was there, I suppose." She shrugged slightly, shaking her head. "I was really disoriented. Suddenly I'm in Tokyo, lying in a puddle that I had apparently just fallen into. I see someone very close to me from the future and he didn't recognize me, as I did him. I guess that's the point where I diverted my path from the past. Instead of going wherever I was originally headed to, I went out and bought some dry clothes. And then I was on my way home when I saw you." She shrugged again. "Who knows, though? Originally—I mean, the first time around—I would have passed through that train station. Maybe I passed you by, never for the wiser." Her eyes looked somewhat sad as she said this.

Gene averted his gaze again. "Noll didn't want me to come to Japan," he started quietly. "It was probably..." he exhaled quietly before continuing, "probably one of the first times we truly disagreed on anything and fought over it."

"You wanted him to come with you, didn't you?"

"I did. I was bent on coming here to find out more about our parents. The only thing we really knew about them were their names from our birth certificates. And we had the certificate of death for our mother. But we didn't know for certain what had become of our father. But Noll..." he sighed again. "He didn't want to know."

Mai dipped her chin in a small nod. "That sounds like Naru," she started slowly. "He's very focused on the future." As she said this, even though she knew it was the truth, there had been an enormous part of his past that he had never been able to completely release: the death of his elder brother.

Gene exhaled heavily. "I wasn't willing to compromise, so I came anyway. To think..." he shook his head slightly, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck and lifted his gaze to connect with hers. "I'm glad he came this time. I'm glad we get to discover the truth about our parents together."

Mai swallowed. "Your father..."

"He's dead," Gene said. "There was an earthquake, five days before we were born. The 1984 Otaki Earthquake." He paused, searching her face for recognition. "Have you ever heard of it?"

She shook her head. "No."

"It wasn't a very large earthquake and there weren't a very large number of casualties. The greatest damage came from landslides from Mt. Ontake. The village of Otaki was all but completely destroyed."

"Otaki..." Mai started, biting her lower lip nervously. "Where is that located?"

"Kiso District, Nagano Prefecture. Southwest of Nagano City. Maybe almost halfway toward Nagoya."

Mai nodded slightly, the memories tumbling forth without further prompting. It was impossible not to remember Naru's trembling form, lurching from the van, gripping the handrail as he gazed out toward the lake, the remaining color in his pale cheeks slipping from his face. "I should have... I should have asked him," she started slowly. "But it was difficult. I knew he didn't want to talk about his past. And nothing... nothing that would remind him of you. Luella once told me that the orphanage was in Takayama. And that your mother had died. But I..." her words trailed into silence. "I couldn't bring myself to ask Naru about it. About any of it."

"Now I know why Naru hesitated when I told him I wanted to go to Nagano. I think our grandmother lives there. Our mother's mother," he explained. "We haven't been able to find anything in public records regarding either our mother or her family, so I want to go there in person."

"What about your father? Did you find anything else about him?"

Gene nodded quickly. "Yes, actually. I spoke to my grandfather just... just earlier today." He laughed lightly. "I can't believe it! It sure seems like a long time ago." He focused his eyes on the wall above Mai's head. "Our father was an American. His mother is Japanese and his father is of Norwegian descent. He lived in Connecticut until he came to Japan and met our mother." A small smile spread over his face. "I would like to meet them, the Nilsons. Perhaps someday. I don't imagine a trip to the States would be feasible any time in the near future." He lowered his eyes to meet her gaze, quickly. "Will you... would you still like to come to Nagano with us?"

"Of course," Mai said without hesitation. "If you'll allow me to come along."

Gene gazed at her for several moments, as if contemplating his words. "I think it would be best."

Mai finished her tea, feeling a glowing warmth both from the remains of the hot liquid as well as the peaceful feeling of acceptance that washed over her from Gene's words.

"What do you like about him?" Gene asked quietly, abruptly changing the subject.

Mai looked surprised at the question. "Well..." her voice trailed off as she set the now-empty cup on the table. "I could say all the obvious things. He's smart—well, brilliant, I suppose. Terribly handsome, and completely aware of it."

Gene's mouth twitched in a grin. "I said why you _liked_ him, Mai. No one could like his arrogance."

She laughed lightly. "Maybe," she said ambiguously. "I dunno. He cheers me up. He makes me laugh. He believes in me and supports me. And he's very principled; he has an extremely strong set of values. He always does what he believes is right. Even if I don't understand it. And though he isn't exactly talkative, he's always honest, never afraid to speak his mind. Even when I'm wrong. Or maybe especially when I'm wrong. But he listens to me, too." She exhaled, leaning forward on her elbows. "Most importantly I think is that he respects me. If he didn't... well, it would never work, right? And he's very rational. I didn't recognize how important that can be. I always get so worked up over things and he'll tell me when I'm being stupid or lazy or selfish." She continued with a wan smile, her gaze following a distant object, unseen to Gene's eyes. "I don't always appreciate it at the time. Though, I have to say, he's gotten much nicer about it over the years."

"He does seem... more agreeable, doesn't he," Gene said, nodding.

"I guess he isn't the sort of person that I always thought I'd end up with. He can be quite bad-tempered," she said honestly, and smiled. "Obstinate and cross. And terribly stubborn, just like me." Seeing Gene's surprised expression, she laughed. "Oh, we don't get along all the time. We've had our share of fights. There were several times I wondered why I ever left Japan to be with him," she admitted. Gene looked perplexed, and she continued.

"But I did love him, very much, even during those times. I always calmed down eventually. No matter how angry or frustrated I became, I knew I would always regret it if I left. I would realize I was being foolish and I would make myself apologize, even if I didn't want to. And he always apologized, too." She smiled. "Even when he's angry or in a bad mood... deep in my heart, I know I love him." A gentle smiled grew on her lips. He could see the love in her eyes.

"What do you make of all this, Mai?" Gene asked quietly.

Mai shrugged, spreading her hands and smiling wistfully. "I guess I'm just incredibly lucky."

...

He could hear laughter, even before he pushed open the door. The smell of spices greeted his nostrils and his mouth immediately began to water, his empty stomach reminding him of its hunger.

"Welcome back," Mai called as he closed and locked the door behind him, slipping an arm out of his jacket and transferring the books he held into his other hand to repeat the process. "Oh, Naru, I can't believe you went and got my school books," she said, a guilty look crossing her face. "I'm sorry. You didn't have to do that."

"It wasn't a problem," he said, shrugging as he stepped out of his shoes. He set the books on an empty corner of the kitchen counter, turning his head and raising his gaze to meet his brother's.

Gene was standing in front of the small stove, stirring a simmering pot. "Thought you'd be home about now," he said with a grin. "Should be ready in just a few minutes."

"Smells delicious. Japanese curry?"

"Wish I could take credit for it, but it's just leftovers from Mai's fridge. I do, however," he paused, turning toward the small rice cooker, "get to claim this rice as my own creation." Seeing the amusement on his twin's face, he lifted his chin. "I washed it and everything. Though Mai told me to," he added. "I didn't know that you were supposed to let it sit before you started cooking it."

Naru smiled slightly, remembering Mai's instruction in the past of how to wash rice properly. She seemed to be thinking of it as well, her eyes distant as she gazed across the room at the calendar hanging on the wall. "If there's one thing I've always been able to cook, it's rice," Mai said softly. "I'm sorry there's meat in the curry, Naru," she continued. "I didn't think—"

He shook his head, effectively silencing her. "It's fine, Mai. Don't worry about that."

Gene frowned slightly, considering his brother. "Are you always vegetarian now?"

"More or less." He took three bowls from the cupboard and pulling open two drawers under the counter before he found what he was looking for. After he had set three spoons on the counter he opened the cupboard again, taking down a container of tea. He turned it over in his hand as he considered the contents. After a short deliberation he returned it to the cupboard and selected a different container. "Mai, would you like a cup of tea?"

"Mm, okay."

After he turned the hot water pot on he walked over to the kotatsu, placing his hand tenderly on the back of her head and gazing down at her. "Are you okay?"

She closed her eyes and leaned her head into his touch, a contented smile crossing her lips. "Yeah. Maybe a little tired, but I'm okay now."

He pursed his lips. "You always say that," he murmured, shaking his head. He dropped to a crouch next to her, placing his hand on her forehead. "You have a slight fever."

"I feel okay, though. I'll take something after dinner. Aspirin or ibuprofen or something."

He nodded, his hand moving from her forehead to caress her cheek. With a gentle motion he tucked her hair behind her ears. "Let me know if... there's anything."

Dipping her head in a nod, he sat next to her until the water was hot and beckoned him back into the kitchen, where he could make the tea.

Gene watched with surprise as Naru set out three cups but only filled two of them with tea. As the tea began to steep, Naru returned to the entryway where his coat hung on the wall and reached into the pocket, removing an aluminum can. This he took to the kitchen. Popping open the lid he poured steaming coffee into the cup. Setting the can on the counter, he lifted the cup and passed it to his brother.

"Just from a vending machine down the street. I hope it's a step up from instant," he said, lifting an eyebrow.

Gene smiled and lifted the mug toward his brother in response. In return, Naru took his own cup of tea and raised it, the ceramic clinking together quietly as their cups connected in mid-air. "Let's eat, shall we?"

...

The twins had cleared the table and done the dishes together, leaving Mai at the kotatsu to watch. She was uncertain how to occupy herself as the brothers took care of cleaning the kitchen. Naru brought her a glass of water with some sort of fever-reducing pill he'd found in her bathroom cabinet. Gene found a box of cookies in the cupboard while putting the dishes away. These he arranged on a plate and brought to the table for them to share. Naru, of course, made a pot of tea. After pouring two cups he turned to his brother, who nodded affirmatively and he poured a third as well.

"Sorry I don't have coffee, Gene," Mai said, nibbling on a cookie.

Gene shook his head, blowing on his steaming cup of tea and reaching for a cookie off the plate. "Not at all. You couldn't have known we'd be barging in here and making ourselves at home like this. I shouldn't have that much caffeine this late, either." He turned his gaze to his brother, who was sipping the tea despite the blistering temperature of the liquid. "What sort of preparations do we need to make for our trip to Nagano?"

Naru returned his teacup to the table. "There shouldn't be much else besides the hotel reservation. I'm counting on your intuition to be our primary guide once we get there. There's only so much we can do in advance." He paused, lifting the cup once more and taking another sip. "Quite honestly, we could scour the library until the end of the week but I don't think we'll find any pertinent information." He frowned slightly. "Unless you want to go to Otaki to look for clues about our parents."

Gene shook his head. "I don't think it's worth our while to go there. Unless you want to see the town our parents were living in," he added quickly.

Naru shook his head. "Not that it would be the same, anyway, after the destruction from the earthquake." He pursed his lips. "The larger question at hand, which I'll admit I've refrained from dwelling on, is what do we do when our search for Shibuya Mitsuki is over? However it may resolve, it certainly will, and we have several different choices of how to proceed from there." His eyes traveled between Mai and his brother. Seeing her apprehensive gaze, he continued. "We have to consider, knowing what we do, how to progress into the future. At the heart of the matter is our return to England."

Gene looked between his brother and Mai. Naru was looking at her with a steadfast gaze while Mai's eyes were trained on her hands, the fingers of her right investigating a hole in the seam of her sweatshirt near the wrist of her left. Her gaze was unnaturally rigid and he realized she was close to tears. "Mai," he started uncertainly, gently. "You'll come back with us to London, won't you?"

"I... I don't know," she began, her gaze still avoiding that of the twins. Shaking herself slightly, she closed her eyes. "I know it's selfish of me to want to do it all over again," she whispered. "And that it's impossible. But I also know..." Her voice tightened and caught in her throat. "There are lives that could be saved. That if we did it all over again, the Yoshimi family wouldn't have to face so much sorrow. We could stop the curse at Yasuhara-san's high school before it started. Before that boy committed suicide. And so many people wouldn't have to disappear at that mansion." Trembling, Mai squeezed her eyes tighter together, trying not to remember. A shudder ran through her body against her will. No matter how many years passed, it would be something she could never forget. The icy blade against her throbbing pulse, the burning sensation as it broke the skin and the warmth of her own blood spilling over her flesh, dripping up her neck and trickling past her ears. The smell of her own life leaving her body as it dripped onto the stained tiles.

"Mai," someone said gently.

She opened her eyes. Identical brothers gazed at her with concern.

"Sorry," Mai said, placing her hands against the surface of the table, trying to hide their shaking. She slowly rose to her feet. "Sorry, just... give me a minute. I need... some fresh air. "

Gene glanced nervously at his brother, who remained silent, watching as she slid into her shoes and draped her coat over her shoulders, shaky and unsteady on her feet. He could smell the stench of blood in the room roused from Mai's fears, a smell he knew did not actually exist in the physical world. "Shall I...?" he started, but Naru shook his head.

"Let her be," he said quietly, as Mai closed the door behind her. "If she's just going out to the landing she'll be fine."

The two sat in stillness for several moments before Gene suddenly broke it. "She's right, isn't she?" He asked. "I mean, to save those lives. It would be the right thing to do."

His younger brother exhaled quietly. "The only feasible way to do it would be to stay here. Stay in Japan, in Tokyo, and open the office again."

"Shibuya Psychic Research," Gene said.

"Yes."

"Well, why not?" Gene argued. "You did it last time. Obviously Martin and Luella were okay with it. Even Lin was here with you."

Naru's lips narrowed into a thin line. "Last time was under very different circumstances," he said, his voice sounding pained. "Though Lin does remember this time around, so we could count on him to support us," he acknowledged.

"Well, let's do it, then," Gene said, as Mai opened the door, emerging from outside. She looked surprised and Gene grinned, reaching for another cookie. "Besides, it rather looked like fun."

...

* * *

A/N: Many many thanks to all who reviewed in the chapters leading up to this, and to readers who are reading my other stories. It is unbelievable encouragement to know that you are willing to drop a line and I really appreciate it. That said, thank you for reading, and thanks for being patient for the updates. Of course, I love to hear feedback, good and bad. So feel free to tell me what you think!

Until the next chapter, my friends, adieu!


	6. Part VI

_**Part VI**_

The three talked late into the evening, sitting around the kotatsu. Mai eventually brought her homework to the table, though Gene suspected she wouldn't have bothered if his brother hadn't gone to the trouble to retrieve it from the school for her. She glanced over the English homework and completed it with ease, though when she had set it aside; Naru picked it up and frowned, reading over several of her answers.

"This is unnatural, isn't it?" He asked her, frowning. He passed the paper to Gene, who began to read her translations with interest. "A proper English speaker would never say that."

"Oh, who cares," Mai grumbled. "It's good enough. Honestly, I'm probably just as fluent as my teacher. Help me with this geometry so I can put it away."

Gene set her English homework down and leaned over her math problems. "There's a mistake," he said, pointing toward the page. "And here."

Mai sighed and turned her eraser toward the page, scrubbing at the marks. "I wish I could just drop out of school." She shook her head slightly after she spoke, disagreeing with herself. "Well, I guess not. But I've never liked geometry."

They finished her homework, the brothers alternating between talking to each other as Mai worked or sitting in silence, watching over her as she completed the work. When the homework was done Mai pushed the books away from her and stretched, a large yawn filling her features.

Naru glanced at the clock on the wall. "We probably ought to go," he said, rising to his feet and taking the last teacups from the table to the sink, where he washed them quickly and rested them on a towel next to the other clean dishes from dinner.

"It's not too late, yet," Mai said, resting her head in her hands. "It's not even ten yet." She looked toward the clock. "Well, just after ten."

"But you have school tomorrow," Naru frowned.

Gene stretched as he stood, stepping over toward the entrance and retrieving his shoes from the rack. "And we shouldn't deprive you of your sleep."

"Besides," Naru continued dryly. "You've been yawning pretty steadily. Another fifteen minutes and you'd be asleep where you are."

"Maybe true," she admitted, blushing slightly and smiling at his teasing.

"Then we'll go." Gene slid into his shoes, bending to tie the laces as Naru took their coats, passing it to his brother. "We'll walk you to school tomorrow."

"You don't have to," Mai shrugged, tracing her foot on the floor, though there was a small smile tugging at her lips that made it obvious that the idea made her happy.

"But we will." Gene grinned at his brother. "Won't we, Noll?"

Naru nodded once and stepped toward Mai, his hand cupping her head and smoothing her hair gently. "Sleep well. See you tomorrow morning."

Gene cleared his throat. Mai briefly wondered if the display of affection made the older brother uncomfortable. "Well, shall we, Noll?"

When the brothers left her apartment, Gene turned to walk toward the street that would take them back toward the hotel, but Naru motioned with his hand for him to follow him toward the busy intersection. He flagged a taxi and the twins crawled into the back seat. "To Dogenzaka," he said to the driver, pulling the door shut behind him. The man nodded and the vehicle moved forward into the street.

Gene watched his brother out of the corner of his eye as he settled back into the seat comfortably, the passing lights from the street moving across his pale face.

"We should probably call Lin when we get back to the hotel." Naru finally said and closed his eyes briefly. "It's ten thirty here, so in London... it must be half-past one in the afternoon." He opened his eyes, meeting his brother's gaze. "When did you last call Martin or Luella? I haven't called them since I arrived."

"I sent them an email this morning, when you were sleeping."

"We should probably call them sometime soon, too." He sighed slightly again, turning his gaze back toward the window. "Later."

The rest of the cab ride passed in silence. Gene watched the traffic lights pass by as his brother watched the street signs. As they reached Dogenzaka, Naru leaned forward to deliver slightly more specific directions to the driver.

The car pulled over to the side of the street and Naru paid him briskly, the brothers stepping out onto a lively sidewalk, only several blocks away from Shibuya Station.

"This way," he said simply and Gene followed him down the lighted, busy street, past a myriad of stores. There were tiny restaurants specializing in udon or ramen sandwiched between 7-Eleven convenience stores and Western fast food chains. The smell of fried food lingered as they walked. They passed a brightly-lit store with phones and other handheld gadgets displayed prominently in the windows, next to a dimly-lit book store and a dark bike shop. As they continued there were a variety of high-end specialty clothing stores: all with mannequins in the windows, the slim, expressionless figures wearing trim black jackets or sleek leather boots under patterned leggings.

Naru slowed when they reached the corner. "The office I rented," he began, raising his hand to point at the second floor of an office building across the intersection. "I don't know if it's occupied at this time, though I would assume not. As I recall, the realtor was having a difficult time renting the place out before I took it." He glanced around the street, finally moving his eyes to meet his brother's gaze. "What do you think? Acceptable?"

Gene laughed out loud. "Of course, Noll, don't be ridiculous. Certainly you're not _asking_ for my permission."

Naru's lips twitched, though he did not exactly smile. "This will be a joint venture. Don't think you can make me do all the work."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Gene laughed. Tossing his arm around his brother's shoulders he nudged him forward. "I feel like walking around a bit. You game?"

Naru nodded wordlessly, though a pleasant expression had formed on his face. Together, they continued forward into the dazzling lights of Shibuya at night.

...

It was late when they returned to the hotel room. "I'm going to call Lin," Naru announced, shrugging off his jacket and tossing over the back of a chair.

"Suit yourself. I'm exhausted." Gene said as he kicked off his shoes and flopped down onto the bed, face first into the comforter.

"Not going to brush your teeth?"

Gene groaned and picked himself up heavily, slouching off to the washroom. His younger brother smirked slightly in amusement, though his face, too, was drawn and tired.

The two had settled into their pyjamas and the light dimmed in the room when Naru finally picked up the cell phone. He glanced toward at the clock and once again calculated the time difference before flipping the device open to see its screen. Gene was once again lying on the bed, stretched out on his back with his arms spread wide to his sides. The comforter was halfway pulled up over his chest, which rose and fell with his steady breathing. "Tell him he needn't have his shiki pop in on us any more," he mumbled, and his younger brother paused, the harsh white light of the mobile reflecting in his dark eyes. "I didn't recognize it at first and then I just thought it was something that was following Mai around, but then I realized it was just watching me. Watching us." He yawned widely and rolled onto his stomach, his head facing away from his brother. "I'm sure he just wants to keep an eye on us, but it's not necessary."

"I'll let him know," Naru said quietly as he dialed. The phone rang only once before it was picked up, briskly.

"Naru," the voice on the other side almost sounded impatient. "I was beginning to think you wouldn't call."

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Naru said dryly. "Can you speak freely?"

"Yes. It must be late there, isn't it? Mai and Gene are...?"

"Gene and I just returned to the hotel room. I think he's fast asleep already."

"'m not," a muffled voice said sleepily from the other side of the room. Naru raised an eyebrow, looking over at his older brother. Though his head was turned away, Naru knew that if even if he could see his face that his eyes would be closed.

"Or he will be shortly," he continued, a small smile forming on his lips. "We were at Mai's the entire evening, when we left we walked around Shibuya. Dogenzaka, actually."

"Ah. Shall I take that to mean...?"

"Unless something happens to change our minds, we're planning to open the office again." Naru said bluntly. "Considering that we don't have the same.." he paused, "_justification_ as last time... we're going to need your help to make this happen."

There was a long pause. "Tell me your reason. Why you're going to open SPR."

Naru licked his lips. "Simply put, because Gene wanted to."

"To give you an excuse to stay in Japan?"

Naru sighed, running his hand through his hair. "Somewhat," he admitted.

"I suppose you both have your reasons to stay there as long as possible. How is the search coming along, anyway?"

"Very well," Naru began, briefly wondering how much information to divulge to the man. It didn't take long for him to decide complete honesty was the rational option. "We spoke to our paternal grandparents this morning."

"Oh?"

"They live in Connecticut. I can give you the complete details later. And we're going to Nagano this weekend to look for our maternal grandmother."

"Nagano?" Lin said, his voice immediately taking on a note of anxiety.

"Yes."

"I see. Well," Lin paused ever so slightly, "Not that you need to hear this from me, but.. be careful, okay?"

Naru smiled wryly. "Don't worry, that's a given."

"Not that things will be the same this time, of course." Lin exhaled. "Do you think that Gene will need the extra time in Japan? It sounds to me that you've made great progress."

"I don't know." Naru answered truthfully. "It does seem that way. I suppose we've found half of what he was looking for. As for the other half... it could be just as easy or twice as difficult. At this point, it's impossible to determine which it will be."

"What about yourself? Surely you have your own reasons to open SPR again. I suppose Mai will have to stay in Japan until she finishes high school."

Naru closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers. "Yes," he finally said. "And... she said she wanted us to open the office again, so that we could change the events that happened before."

"Preventing certain events, I imagine."

"Yes." He sighed again. "Mai is naïve to think that we can save everyone. It is true that if we open the office again, perhaps the same clients will come to us with the same requests. But we can't guarantee to change the outcome of every repeated case. And then what? Will she be content to watch deadly world events unfold, or will she think we're obligated to prevent casualties to events that we've already witnessed? From natural disasters to terrorist attacks, there are many atrocities facing this world that we simply can't do anything about."

"Surely she realizes that."

"Yes." Naru sighed. "I hope so." He paused again. "I'm sure others would say I am cold-hearted but I would think it irrational to step outside reasonable measures to change the future. Perhaps my motivation lies in that I am curious," he started, "what would happen were Gene and I to take these, and other cases, together. If we were able to take these cases freely without the obnoxious gaze of the senior BSPR researchers breathing down our necks."

"Surely that's not your _only _motivation." Naru could hear the man's wry smile.

"Of course not. I want Mai to be happy and of course I want to stay here with her for as long as I can. She obviously isn't comfortable with the idea of coming to England before she graduates high school. And there is the somewhat delicate subject of our being together. Opening the office will give me a little more time." He exhaled slightly. "And Gene wants to. He seems to think it's the right thing to do. I trust his judgment."

"His judgment isn't infallible," Lin warned.

"No, but he is very much attuned to the world around him. Oh, he's been distracted by your shiki. He asked if you'd let it leave us alone for a little bit."

"He saw it?" Lin sounded surprised. "I was hoping it would be a little more discreet."

"I believe he's been aware of it for several days. He said he didn't recognize it as yours at first."

"Interesting," Lin mused. He paused, clearing his throat. "Speaking of which. The shiki indicated... that Gene might be attracted to Mai," he said, the statement spoken with difficulty.

"Yes." Naru closed his eyes, ignoring the uncomfortable feeling that swept over him as he heard the words.

"Will that be an issue?"

"No." Naru exhaled heavily. "Sorry, Lin, but I'm exhausted. It's been a hell of a day. I need to call it a night."

"I understand. I will test the waters with Martin and Luella about the office. I'll tell them about your idea to stay in Japan for an extended period of time, to see how they react."

"Thank you," Naru said honestly.

Lin paused again, and when he spoke he sounded hesitant. "Naru... do you think your parents will be keen on the idea of you putting your university studies on hold indefinitely?"

"No, I don't." He sighed. "In fact, I anticipate that shortly I will have to return to London alone, to complete my studies. So we need to open SPR before then. Good night, Lin. We'll be in touch."

"Good night, Naru."

...

He knew he was dreaming.

_A brilliant blue sky, holding beneath it all the countryside as far as he can see. Green fields and mountains, quiet in the warm afternoon sunlight. Birds flit between the trees and bushes, ignoring his presence, singing and chirping amongst each other. Further from the winding road on which he walks, he knows there are deer and rabbits, hiding in the trees out of sight. The gentle wind blows his hair away from his forehead, the few pricks of moisture evaporating with the breeze. The sleeves of his shirt flap against his arms and he watches the wildflowers along the side of the road bob in unison, waving him forward._

_He closes his eyes, inhaling the fresh country air. He lets his mind drift upwards, looking down at his body. This detour he's taken into the countryside will eventually lead him toward a lake. It's several miles, still, but he's walking briskly, basking in the warm sunlight, and he's not in a particular hurry._

_When he opens his eyes, the summer green is gone. The sky is gray, the trees are bare and the fields and mountains both are brown. But for the wind through brittle branches, the countryside is silent. The only birds he sees are two crows, perched atop the skeleton of an old, crooked tree. They are watching him, as he walks along this deserted road._

_That summer day, had he imagined it all? He can't remember now._

_He stops suddenly, looking behind him. The pavement is slick from an early afternoon rain. He is approaching a narrow curve in the road, but the entire road has been narrow as it winds its way through the trees. Why is he suddenly so nervous?_

_He waits and he listens, but he cannot hear anything amiss._

_The car comes from the front. It is obvious that the vehicle has approached the curve much faster than it should and it lurches into the opposite lane in a desperate attempt to stay out of the ditch. He can see the shocked look on the face of the driver. It is a woman, tear streaks visible on her cheeks. Or does he see the tears now because they will appear later? With sudden he knows certainty her entire life's story, past and future. He sees an old, run-down house, surrounded by weeds, and sees her childhood. A thin girl with dirty feet, running away from the harsh words of her alcoholic father and waiting for her mother to return. Some days she does not wait or her mother does not return and she sneaks into the alleyways behind restaurants, looking through the garbage for something to eat. Her life improves after her father's funeral: her mother takes her from their old home to live with their grandmother in a distant village. It is not long before every day after school finds her washing dishes at a restaurant to supplement her mother's meager income. She passes through high school; she is shunned by a boy and wooed by another. Though this woman's life is difficult he knows she has seen happiness. He sees her laughing, singing karaoke with her friends, getting drunk and missing the last train only to spend the night with a man. This week, however, things had taken a turn for the worse. She had discovered she was pregnant, doomed to bear the child of a man who had already dumped her. He knows she will try to kill herself, unsuccessfully, and will lose her job. Eight months later, after she delivers the child, she will hang herself in her mother's bathroom. It is an agonizing death._

_He finds himself feeling pity for her even before the impact of the vehicle as it strikes him._

_And then, all he sees is the gray. The gray cloudy sky, a sky that grows dim and hazy much too quickly. Then it is the car again._

_The woman is crying, her arms are weak and shaky. She can barely lift him. Darkness envelops him._

_And then he is sinking into a cold, murky lake. He longs for the warmth of the sun and the gentle summer breeze on his face, but they, too, are lost to him. The dim light of the cloudy sky becomes distant, further and further away until his eyes no longer see._

He awoke with a jolt, his eyes snapping open and his lungs gasping for air.

He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths, his heartbeat thudding in his ears. Turning his head, he opened his eyes to look upon his brother who lay still on the opposite bed, still held within slumber's tight grasp.

Gene sat up, rubbing his forearm across his brow to wipe the sweat away. Only when he lowered his hand did he realize his arms were trembling and there were tears in his eyes.

_Was that my death_, he wondered. _Is that how I died? Did I see what already happened, or is this still to come? Or was it only a dream?_

Gene frowned and slid out of bed, walking silently toward the window. He parted the curtain and concentrated his gaze on the sleepy street below. His heart was still pounding from the vision, and he waited for it to calm, breathing slowly and watching the lights from the few cars move sluggishly along the morning street, idling at the stoplights. Only when his heart rate had returned to normal did he begin to think about his dream.

Somehow, he knew, this dream or vision was connected to what had happened the previous afternoon with Mai. If he had not looked into her memories, as he had, he would not have had this dream. This he knew with certainty.

_Noll said that she was receptive to my abilities_, he mused. _But what about Mai's abilities? Perhaps it works the other way as well_.

...

That morning Mai rose much later than she had intended. As she rushed around her apartment, gathering school books with her toothbrush in hand, there was a brisk knock at the door. She didn't even bother to look through the spyhole, a feeling of giddiness sweeping over her as she opened the door to see the twins waiting for her, standing casually on the landing.

"_Oh'yo_," she giggled, the toothbrush still in her mouth. Gene laughed out loud and a smile twitched at the corners of his younger brother's lips.

"Morning to you too," he drawled as they entered. "We bought you a bento. I hope you haven't made yourself a lunch."

She shook her head. "Nn," and she turned, hurrying toward her sink to spit the toothpaste. "I forgot to set my alarm last night..." she explained.

"Shucks, and here I was hoping you had so we could eat it," Gene muttered. "I wanted to try them all. We got three different kinds."

Mai laughed as she slipped into her coat and her loafers simultaneously. Naru reached for her scarf, dropping it gently around her neck. "You have a hat? It's cold today."

"Mm, yeah," she said, crouching to rummage through the winter articles on the shelf, pulling out a pair of mittens and a knit hat. "Okay!" She said cheerfully, popping up to her full height, pulling the hat on over her head and adjusting it to cover her ears. "I'm ready to go. Where's my bag?"

"Right here," Gene said, lifting the item for her to see.

"Let's go, then!" Mai said, pulling her keys from her pocket and shooing them outside, locking the door behind her. "I might be _running_ late but I am hardly ever _actually _late. Right, Naru?"

"Hmn," he said ambiguously. "I remember you being late a couple of times."

"Na-_ru_," she protested, laughing as she clutched at his arm.

"You've gotten better." He said, smiling as they hurried down the stairs.

"Oh, here, Gene, I can take that..." Mai apologized, reaching for her schoolbag.

"Nah, I got it."

"Here, you can carry your lunch." Naru instructed, handing her a bag that presumably held one of the bento boxes.

"Mm, thank you. Oh, the light's changing—let's run!"

They hurried across the intersection. Gene ran forward and Mai skipped behind him, still holding onto Naru's arm, tugging at him, even as the younger brother refused to break into a trot. His feet were planted firmly on the sidewalk before the light turned green and the idling cars began to move. Mai, watching the light and his deliberate steps, made a small face at him, to which he simply lifted an eyebrow in response.

"What are you guys going to do today?" Mai asked, taking a right turn at the corner, her arm slipping away from Naru's as they formed a single-file line down the narrow sidewalk. Mai walked in front, Naru behind and Gene walked between them in the middle.

"Hmm, sightseeing?" Gene said casually, glancing behind at his brother.

Naru shrugged. "I suppose so. Maybe a couple errands."

"We went by the office last night," Gene whispered loudly to Mai, leaning forward. "There was a sign in the window with the realtor's number."

She turned, walking sideways and then backwards, staring at the brothers with wide eyes. "You mean, you're really..."

"Yes," Naru said, without expression. "We might as well inquire. More importantly, we ought to prepare for our trip to Nagano. What little preparations we can do, at least. We can plan our route and reserve train tickets and a hotel room for tomorrow night."

Mai turned back around to walk forward, her lips pressed together as she tried not to smile. Failing, the smile broke her face and she gazed upwards, eyes tracing the early morning clouds. "Honestly, I'm really... really looking forward to going to Nagano with you," she murmured. She looked over her shoulder at the twins who followed her. "All three of us together."

Naru's expression lightened, smiling gently. Gene, his eyes on the sidewalk, finally looked up and grinned, turning back toward his twin. "Me too."

The three walked in comfortable silence down the street. Mai, a happy smile on her face, began to hum softly. They turned another corner onto a broader sidewalk and the twins walked side-by-side behind Mai, who continued forward in front.

"See?" Mai grinned, as they turned down the last street, the school gate not far ahead. "Almost there. Running late but not _actually _late."

"Liar," Gene said, smiling. "Everyone's late _sometimes_. Besides, I saw your memories."

Mai laughed and snatched her schoolbag from his hands. "You guys can leave me here. I should probably run," she admitted, looking slightly abashed. "Besides, not to sound, um, ungrateful, but it would probably be better not to let any girls start any rumors or speculate about you two."

"I understand," Gene said and Naru nodded wordlessly. "Call us if you need anything, okay? Otherwise, we'll meet you after school. We'll go straight to your apartment."

She smiled, nodding, and found herself blushing as Naru stepped closer to her, picking a dry leaf that had fallen onto her shoulder off of her coat. "If you weren't fifteen years old I would kiss you right now," he murmured. Gene, standing close enough to hear his words, blushed a pale pink. His brother continued as if his own twin was not in the vicinity. "But it would probably be a scandal. Especially a block away from school." His tone changed from light to mocking. "Study hard."

Mai found herself giggling. "Have a nice day and enjoy your sightseeing." She waved and turned, running toward the school, her school bag swinging from one hand and the bag with the bento in the other.

Gene turned toward his brother, whose gaze followed her until she turned and disappeared. "Now what?"

Naru shrugged again. "What do people do when they visit this city? Tokyo Tower?"

...

The twins had been meandering around the observation deck for some time. Gene stood against a railing that overlooked the park and the city that surrounded the tower. The cold blue of the sky was spotted with clouds, almost white above the muted grays and browns of the late winter earth. Gene closed his eyes and began to concentrate. _Time_, he thought to himself, _is fluid and flexible. Noll has proven that_.

He lifted his head, his eyes still closed. He became acutely aware of his bare hands against the cool metal railing, the rubber soles of his tennis shoes against the smooth white tiles of the floor and how these two points of his body connected him with the entirety of the structure in which they stood.

_Tokyo Tower was built in 1958. This structure has seen every moment that has passed since its completion. And as long as it remains, it will see the future as it comes to this city._

The sun raced across the sky, the moon chasing it in the darkness. Lights of buildings turned on and off and the steady streams of cars made glowing, lighted rivers in the night. Slowly, the moon fell, now, and slowly the sun rose before him. Gene opened his eyes, looking at the vista before him.

A hot summer day. He was vaguely aware that the deck was busier than it had been a moment prior, the occupants now comprised of girls in short skirts and summer sandals or heels; boys in short-sleeved t-shirts and shorts.

A bewildered expression crossed his face and squinting toward the sun, he lifted his hand to shade his face. _This summer_, he realized. _July_—_no, August. _He closed his eyes again. _Did our parents ever visit Tokyo Tower? Lukas_—_my Grandfather_, he corrected himself,_ said our mother didn't come to Tokyo to visit our father very often. But would they have come here, together?_

He opened his eyes again. From his vantage point at the window, he could see that some of the buildings were different, noticeably shorter and old-fashioned compared to the view he had just seen. He turned his head, looking around the interior of the observation deck. Most immediately noticeable was the fashion of the other people milling about the deck. A smile twitched the corner of his lips. _1982_—_or 1983? With that fashion, definitely the early 80's._

His scanning eyes stopped on a couple, the dark blue orbs growing wide. Gene drew in his breath sharply and stared as the couple walked past, completely oblivious to him. The woman had very pale, smooth skin with a hint of a rosy blush in her cheeks, impossibly dark almond-shaped eyes and long, straight jet-black hair. The man walking next to her was tall, animating with his hands their discussion. His hair was a dark brown and his bright eyes were the same color as Gene's own deep blue. In his pause she said something to him, which caused a huge foolish grin to spread across the man's features. She smiled sheepishly in response. It was obvious to Gene that despite her subdued expression she was tremendously happy.

There was no doubt in his mind that they were Ichirou Nilson and Harumi Shibuya, his parents on a date in Tokyo.

"What do you see?" His brother asked quietly, standing beside him.

Gene remained silent for several moments, watching as the vision slowly disappeared. "The past," he finally said. "As well as the future." He turned toward his brother, a grin lifting his lips in a lopsided smile. "Seems we take after our mother."

...

They met her after school, as promised. Instead of staying at Mai's apartment, however, Gene declared they would go out to eat. "We passed by a shabu shabu restaurant that looked _really good_," he insisted. "We _have_ to go there."

The restaurant was several stops away by train. When they stepped off the train into the quiet neighborhood,Mai looked surprised, looking between the brothers and then down the street, as if to confirm her bearings.

"Um," she started, hesitant. "After dinner, is it okay if... we take a detour?"

"Of course." Gene said, smiling pleasantly. "Wherever you want to go is fine." Naru nodded but said nothing. Mai was beginning to expect this reaction from the two. If nothing more needed to be said, the younger twin was apt to stay silent. Not that it was any surprise to her; she'd known since she first met him that he rarely spoke without necessity.

After dinner the brothers once again trailed behind Mai when they left the restaurant. "It seems like it's been such a long time, but I know I've been here just a few weeks ago, after New Years," Mai murmured to herself, not expecting a response from the two. They walked down a quiet side street lined with hedges and Mai found herself looking for cats beneath them. Naru hurried forward to walk several steps behind Mai as they entered the cemetery and Gene hung back, keeping a respectable distance behind them as they walked toward the Taniyama headstone.

Mai stopped in front of the grave, her mittened hands clasped in front of her. Naru, standing behind her, gently reached forward to lay his hand on her shoulder. Gene watched as Mai dipped her head, whispering something into her hands. His brother remained silent, immobile, his hand firmly resting on her shoulder. After standing quietly for several moments, Mai lifted her head and smiled brightly, turning away from the grave.

"Thank you," she said as they left the cemetery, dropping her right hand to seek Naru's by her side. Her fingers found his and the two slipped together easily, comfortably. "Really... thank you."

Gene grinned and slung his arms around her shoulders. "It's nothing. Right, Noll?" He gazed upward, watching the blinking lights of an airplane travel across the dark, empty sky. The sound seemed to follow it as it rose higher, finally disappearing from sight, its path obscured by trees and buildings. Gene turned his gaze back toward Mai. "What should we do now, Mai?"

"Mm, anything's okay with me."

"We should probably head back," Naru said absently. "It's a half hour on the train."

"I have a deck of cards at the hotel," Gene said.

"Sounds good to me," Mai said, smiling.

After some time Gene's arm slipped from Mai's shoulders but she sought out his hand and squeezed it gently, holding it as they walked. The trio walked back to the station like that, the short brunette holding the hands of the twins as she walked between them.

...

It seemed to Mai that after their trip to the cemetery Gene was much more comfortable with her and Naru together. In fact, now that there were no secrets between the three, they all were much comfortable together. Gene laughed brighter and Naru was more at ease. She suspected that he felt immense relief, as she did, that it was no longer necessary to hide their feelings for each other and their knowledge of the future from his brother. The return to the hotel was pleasant. Once in the twins' room they sat on one of the wide, queen-sized beds and Gene shuffled and then dealt out the cards.

Their minds were not occupied with the simple game but it was something to keep their hands busy as they talked about their trip to Nagano. The brothers had made the hotel reservation and had planned the route they would take to the city. Despite the fact that they were traveling nearly to the other side of the country—Nagano being only 60 kilometers from the Sea of Japan—it was less than three hours by train.

They talked over the game for several hours until Gene and Mai were trading yawns and Naru seemed to be the only one who could remember which cards were in his hands from round to round. Finally, he put down his cards and rose to his feet. "It's late, Mai. I'll walk you home."

Mai put her cards into the discard pile and made a small dissatisfied sound, but she slid off the bed and rose to her feet as well.

"You can just sleep here, if you want," Gene said, tossing his cards down and resting back onto the over-sized hotel pillows. "There's two beds," he justified, stretching. "I'm sure Noll wouldn't mind if I made him share a bed with me."

Mai glanced at Naru, whose face remained expressionless as he buttoned his jacket. "Well," she hesitated. "I should probably brush my teeth and all that. I have a couple things I need to do." She giggled slightly. "And I'll be late tomorrow morning if I don't. I wouldn't want that."

Naru nodded and held out her coat for her to slip her arms into. "You coming, Gene?"

"Nah, I'll stay here." The older brother shrugged.

"Be back in a bit," Naru said and Mai grinned at him as they turned to leave.

"See you tomorrow!" She called, waving.

"Good night, Mai."

...

The short walk to her apartment passed in silence. As Mai unlocked the front door, Naru followed her wordlessly inside. After she took off her coat, Naru pulled her close to him, kissing her fully and passionately on the lips.

"Naru," Mai murmured, opening her eyes to see his dark eyes gazing at her own.

He sighed, folding his arms around her and hugging her tightly. "After our trip to Nagano, we're going to re-open the office. Lin will probably join us. But I..." his voice trailed off. "I imagine I'll have to return to England."

Mai felt tears prick in her eyes at the thought. "University," she whispered.

"Yes." He sighed again, squeezing her body tighter against his own. "I'll return when I finish." He released his tight grip on her and kissed her gently. "Don't fall in love with my brother while I'm gone."

Mai let out a sound that was half a laugh and half a sob. "As if," she whispered, smiling even as tears dripped down her cheeks.

He smiled sadly, taking her cheeks in her hands and brushing her tears away with his thumbs. "Don't cry, Mai, I'm not leaving yet and I'm hoping I'll be able to visit periodically. My studies certainly won't be very taxing." His smile widened ever so slightly into an amused smirk. "Besides, someone will have to actually _manage_ the office. I doubt Gene will be very keen. Not to mention someone has to keep an eye on him to keep him out of trouble."

Mai giggled and rose on her toes to kiss him sweetly. "Isn't that Lin's job? He did it for you."

"Perhaps," he conceded. "Not trying to keep me out of the picture, are you?"

"You wish," she laughed, kissing him again. He sighed as she tangled her fingers in his hair, the kiss deepening. Pulling her closer toward him, his hands slid under her shirt, his fingertips tracing patterns against her lower back, squeezing her sides and rising toward her ribs. Stumbling slightly over her shoes as she stepped out of them, she pulled him toward the center of her apartment and into the darkness of her bedroom.

...

The hotel room was silent but for the quiet sound of a minute hand moving steadily in its rotation on the clock in the bathroom. From the bed in the bedroom, Gene thought the muted sound seemed somehow lonely and dismal. The young man exhaled quietly, turning the page of the book in his lap, his eyes tracing over the words. He shifted his body against the pillow, the mattress creaking slightly beneath him as he adjusted his position and silence once again resumed in the room.

The stillness was broken when he suddenly spoke aloud. "Still around, then?"

There was an audible chuckle. "_Just thought I'd drop in to see how things are going_," an airy voice said lightly. It was neither a masculine nor feminine voice, though if pressed, Gene would have said instantly said that the speaker was definitely _male_.

Gene snorted slightly, sitting up from his reclining position and crossing his legs beneath him. "On your master's orders?"

"He indicated I should be, shall we say, _available_, should anything come up. To check in on you from time to time. I hope my presence hasn't been bothering you."

The boy shrugged and made a vague waving gesture. "Since I know you're here, you don't have to hide like that. Might as well make yourself comfortable."

The voice laughed, and Gene frowned in irritation. "It's not often a human being asks us to be comfortable," the voice explained quickly. Gene watched in interest as the shadow beneath the chair spread, traveling away from the lamplight which cast it. A slim figure seemed to suddenly spring up, a smartly dressed man in a tight-fitting suit and polished boots. The tie he wore was a deep purple with a delicate pattern in silver thread, matching the silver-gray of the folded handkerchief in his pocket. He wore a dark gray fedora to match his suit, which he removed promptly as he sat down, setting the object on the table, revealing short cropped black hair. Beneath his thin rimmed glasses, his large almond shaped eyes watched Gene attentively. The long lashes cast shadows against his dark skin. "I can assure you I meant no disrespect. All by yourself this evening, I see?"

"So it would seem," he said dryly.

The man lounged back in the chair, crossing his leg and resting his hands in his lap. Gene noticed that there were silver rings on two of his fingers. "Not curious to know what your brother is up to, I see? Though it would be easy for you to slip over there with your mind to check in on them. It's not very far, especially for someone with your talents."

Gene's eyebrows lowered darkly. "I don't need to use my ability to know what they're doing. I wouldn't invade the privacy of my brother like that."

"Of course." The man smiled. "I shouldn't have suggested you would be so unscrupulous. My apologies." He looked around the room casually. "Enjoying your sightseeing?"

Gene shrugged and nodded noncommittally.

"My Master only had me check on you very briefly the other time you did this. It would seem that what you seek is within your grasp, much closer than before."

Gene frowned deeply. "You remember the other time, then?"

The man smiled, his teeth gleaming. "I do. Not surprising, considering that we perceive the world much differently than you."

Gene watched the man in silence. He took off his glasses, pulled out the silver handkerchief with a flourish, and began to polish the lenses absently. "I hope you'll excuse my curiosity, but have you managed to remember any of the past future?"

Gene said nothing and the man's expression brightened. "I can give you that time, if you'd like. I can help you remember. The time leading up to your death and all the time afterwards."

"I don't need to remember what I did the first time when I was here by myself. I'm certain that the time I'm spending now is an adequate trade." Gene looked away. "As for after... I saw enough in Mai's memories," he said quietly. "I don't need to remember my death." _If I haven't already,_ he couldn't help but think.

"Ah," the man continued to polish, occasionally lifting the glasses to eye them in the light. "But you did not see much after she went to London. Besides, those were _Mai's_ memories, not your brother's. You were only beside her for a fraction of the time that you were beside your brother. What of his return to London, the first time, before that girl was murdered in her apartment?"

Gene frowned. "But I guided her through her dreams until Noll found my body. After that..." His voice trailed off. He did not know what to say.

The man continued for him. "After that, your spirit never left this world and accompanied your brother until he brought you back here to this time. You followed his spirit even after his death, followed him when he went back for _her_." He smiled. His polishing complete, he slid the glasses back onto his nose. "So, Mr. Davis. What do you think of my proposal? Do you wish to remember that time?"

Gene spoke without hesitation, his voice laden with suspicion. "Even if I were to consider your offer, what would you ask for in return? You certainly wouldn't help me for free."

"No, no. I ask for nothing in return," the man said simply.

"Nothing?" Gene said skeptically, frowning. "I don't believe it for a second. Why would you help me, then? There's nothing for you to gain. Your kind doesn't make such bargains."

"Oh, but quite the contrary," the man said. "Helping you will in turn assist my Master. For me to advance the position of my Master is beneficial indeed." He smiled tightly, his dark eyes flashing beneath the glasses in a way that seemed peculiarly familiar to Gene. "Living human beings aren't the only ones with precognitive abilities, my dear boy. You were perhaps the exception for humans of the _deceased_ variety. We were all extremely impressed with your capabilities after your death. Even now, you are quite impressive and I hold you in very high regard. Perhaps one of the few humans I have come to respect."

"Respect?" Gene scoffed. "Me?"

"Oh yes," the man chuckled. "The time of your death and those unassisted accomplishments aside. You managed to detect my presence quite quickly and once you attuned yourself to me, it would seem there is not much I can do to hide from you."

"I'm a medium," Gene said flatly. "I see spirits."

The man's eyebrows lifted. "Others would say you are a perfect medium."

Gene looked amused. "Rather pretentious of me to say something like that, wouldn't it be?" He considered the man in front of him for several moments before continuing. "Not that you're one to care about something like that."

"Quite right you are," the man grinned. "All that aside. I don't need to mention the other feats you have and will do. I may lie and exaggerate sometimes, but it is the truth that I respect you highly, almost as high as your brother." The man's placid brown eyes blinked slowly, gazing upon Gene's blank face. "Nothing against you, of course. It just happens that your brother is somewhat more calculating, more rational, less compassionate than you are. These are traits that I, by my nature, understand more easily."

Gene looked away, annoyance etched into his face, but said nothing.

"It is not criticism to be called _compassionate_ from a being such as myself," he laughed. "Deep in your heart, Eugene Davis, you are kinder than most of this sordid Earth's population." The man's smile widened slightly. "A pure heart is rare, and I dare say you've kept yours, even after passing into the afterlife when your brother's was lost long ago."

"What about Mai?" Gene suddenly asked quietly.

"That girl..." The man turned his eyes away, contemplating the painting of blooming fruit trees that hung above the bed. "That girl is very interesting. I have surprising difficulties in seeing where her path shall take her. It would seem she has not yet come to play her role. Her fate is tied to you and your brother; it intertwines between you."

Gene frowned. "Noll said her abilities went dormant when I stopped visiting her dreams."

"Yes."

"But you said I didn't move on. That I stayed with Noll."

"This is true." Gene frowned again, and the man laughed lightly. "You look so much like your brother when you do that." He smiled. "So what do you think? It is an interesting thought, is it not? To have your memories from all those years. Shall I assist you?"

"No," Gene said flatly. "I don't need your help, nor do I want it."

"Are you sure?" The man gazed at him evenly. "You are younger than your _younger_ brother by almost two decades. Two decades of memories! You'll never be on equal footing again unless you remember, you know. And even I can't tell how long it could take for you to remember on your own. You may never remember it all."

"I know." Gene said quietly. "But I don't want your help."

The man nodded, unfazed. "As you wish." He stood slowly, exhaling. "I suppose I could have anticipated that. And I shouldn't expect anything less, either." He reached to the table, picking up his hat. He did not place it on his head, but held it toward his chest gently.

Gene watched the man quietly before speaking again. "Before you go, can I ask you a question?"

The man smiled. "Of course."

"Does Lin ever talk to you like this?"

At this, a sliver of surprise was visible on the man's features. "The conversations with my Master... similar in some ways, different in another. Your brother is returning, Eugene, so I shall take my leave." He stood and clasping his hands together, gave a short, bow-like gesture. "Good night," he said, and he disappeared back into the shadows created by the lamp light.

Gene sat very still, listening to the quiet ticking of the bathroom clock. Lin's shiki was gone.

...

Gene was still reading in the quiet room when the door opened and his brother entered.

"Welcome back," he said dully.

"You're still up." Naru sounded surprised.

He shrugged. "I didn't think you'd be so late."

"Sorry," Naru said apologetically. "I wasn't intending to stay long, but..." His voice trailed off and he had the unfamiliar and uncomfortable feeling of not knowing what to say.

Gene shrugged. "It's not like I mind. You and Mai probably want a little time alone together every so often, and..." he paused, shrugging. "I had a chat with Lin's shiki."

Naru's eyes widened in surprise. His brother simply nodded, waving his hand. "Get ready for bed, I'll tell you all about it."

Gene had decided to tell his brother nearly everything about the conversation. Some things he had deemed unimportant or unnecessary: in particular, the proposal the shiki had made to help him recover his memory of the time after his death. He knew the thought that "the older brother was younger by almost two decades" would only bring guilt and unhappiness to his younger twin. When he had finished, Naru was leaning against a pillow in his pyjamas, gazing at him attentively. "I find it difficult to believe that it respects us," he finally murmured.

"Perhaps you," Gene said, scratching his head. "After all. You did turn time around. Twice."

"You said," Naru paused, considering. "That it said something about _everything you have and will do_. Like it's already seen all of your accomplishments."

"Yeah. For both of us," Gene added.

Naru bit his lip. "We aren't static," he finally said, speaking with slight difficulty. "We don't know what we'll be capable of in the future. Or perhaps, even, what we're capable of now."

The older twin nodded, thinking of his dream from that morning. "Because I'm not going to let myself get killed this time," Gene said.

"I'll die before I let that happen, Gene." Naru said, determination in his eyes. "That's my promise to you."

"You'd better not," Gene threatened.

His brother shrugged nonchalantly. "It only seems fair, doesn't it?"

"Don't say that," Gene grumbled, reaching to turn off the lamp and flopping down on the bed. "No one's dying this time."

The dark room was silent for several moments. "We'll be fine if we're together, right?"

"Always."

...

Mai woke early the next morning, exhausted. With an unhappy sound escaping her lips, she rose to dress and began to sort her clothes for laundry.

Half an hour later after a load of laundry was in the washer, Mai sat waiting, looking over her homework at the launderette. Leaning back in the uncomfortable plastic chair, a small smile crept across her face. She couldn't help the happiness that spread when she thought of Naru. She could almost feel the strength of his arms around her, holding her comfortably as they lay next to each other.

They had been very close to making love, the night before. He had sounded almost embarrassed, reluctant to stop but knowing it was the rational, responsible thing to do. Even if he had been been prepared, he told her, they shouldn't. She felt guilty, knowing that after Naru had walked her to her apartment she should have made him return to the hotel at once. After all, it wasn't fair to Gene for her to monopolize his brother, she thought, and it was terribly irresponsible. But her body hadn't been able to refuse him. They were both lonely for each other's touch. When they were older it wasn't something they had had to allocate. Now, even holding hands seemed precious to her. To have him embrace her, to be alone together in a quiet, private room—she knew those moments would be few and far between.

Mai sighed quietly, standing as the washer cycle finished and bent to open the machine door, scooping the clothes into a basket and hefting it to her hip. He was right to be cautious, she knew. The last thing she needed this time around was to become pregnant at fifteen, even if mentally she finally felt like she was about the right age to think about having children. But that time had disappeared and she would have to wait another ten years at least.

_Ten years_. Mai sighed. In London she'd just started thinking about the possibility of marriage and family, but that was even more distant now. "I have to be patient," she murmured to herself quietly, shutting the dryer door firmly and inserting some coins into the slot. "Why am I thinking about this now, anyway?" She shook her head to herself and turned to pick up her school books, yawning largely. Rubbing at her eyes, she left the launderette and crossed the street, heading toward her apartment. In the time that the clothes would dry, she would get ready for school and make some tea. She would definitely need some tea—how else was she going to get through a long school day on that amount of sleep?

...

Much to her relief, the school day passed quickly. She found that she was impatient, looking at the clock every ten minutes and tapping her feet against the floor, wondering what Naru and Gene were up to. She felt antsy, keen to leave the school and return to her apartment to meet the twins before they departed for Nagano. Finally the afternoon was upon her and after offering apologetic excuses to her friends, she hurried home from school.

She had just arrived back at her apartment and was trying to hurriedly pack some clothes into a weekend bag when there was a knock at the door.

"Don't you have a key?" She called as she hurried toward the door, unlocking it and swinging it open with a smile. Seeing the woman standing on the other side of the door, the smile slipped from her face. Mai felt an immediate tightening in her chest, her mind going blank save for several choice curse words. This had not happened before. No, this woman had definitely not come to her door the last time around.

"Taniyama-san, I see you were expecting someone?" The woman inquired. Though her words were polite, there was a sharp edge to her voice and her eyes were narrowed ever so slightly as she looked down over her thin-rimmed glasses. "I'm sorry to barge in on you so suddenly."

"N-not at all, Ogasawara-san," Mai said politely, stepping aside from the door so that the woman could enter. "Please, do come in. I apologize that it is not very tidy."

The woman stepped in, dipping her head and stepping out of her high heels. "I apologize," she said, her dark eyes moving around the room quickly, her lips pursing together tightly. Mai knew that the woman was surprised that the apartment was actually quite well-kept: the only obvious piece of clutter was a lone tea cup, sitting on the counter by the sink. No doubt the woman was searching for mistakes for which she could place accusations.

"Would you like some tea?"

"Thank you, but I shouldn't stay long."

"No, it's no trouble," Mai said, pouring a cup and placing it on the kotatsu. "Won't you sit down, Ogasawara-san?" Even as she said this, she wished the woman would stand up and leave, never to return.

"Thank you," the woman said, sitting carefully and eyeing the room with conspicuous scrutiny. "I suppose you are curious for the nature of my visit." Mai said nothing as she sat down, easing herself into the place across from the woman. "We received a call from one of the tenants of this building. They were... concerned about you."

Mai was genuinely puzzled. "I can assure you, nothing is wrong."

Ogasawara continued as if Mai had not spoken. "Your neighbor said that you came back on Wednesday in the company of two men. That you seemed to be unconscious and that they had carried you inside."

Alarmed at the emphasis Ogasawara had placed on "two men", Mai tried to keep her expression neutral, cautiously choosing her words. "I fainted after school and my friends were kind enough to bring me home."

"She seemed to think you had passed out drunk," the woman pressed.

It was all she could do not to grit her teeth with exasperation. "Nothing could be further from the truth," she said coolly.

"Your neighbor also indicated she had seen you with these boys several times after that incident. I trust there is an innocuous explanation?"

"They're just two of my friends," Mai said, keeping her voice calm. "We've been working on a school project together."

"Well," the woman said, pursing her lips and adjusting her glasses. "At this point without any discernable evidence of foul play, I will have to take your word for it. However, it would be wise not to bring home too many men, Taniyama-san. It may be too much for you to imagine, but teenage pregnancy is no joke and you can be certain that any man willing to sleep with you is carrying sexual transmitted diseases. While your care from our institution does.. include certain medical benefits, let me confirm for you that any treatment for such diseases will come out of your own pocket."

Leveling a hard gaze on the woman, Mai kept her mouth firmly closed, knowing that if she let herself speak she would regret the consequences. When Ogasawara continued to stare at her pointedly and Mai realized that this woman would not move until she acknowledged what she said, she spoke stiffly. "I appreciate that you came all this way to tell me that, Ogasawara-san. Is there anything else today?"

"No," Ogasawara said, standing. Mai also rose to her feet, moving around the kotatsu but keeping a fair distance from the woman. Ogasawara walked briskly to the entrance and stepped into her shoes as she buttoned her coat. "I apologize for the intrusion," she said politely. "Until next time, Taniyama-san."

The door closed behind her and Mai stood still in the silent room for several moments, pondering the encounter. Finally she turned her gaze back to the table where the cup of tea, untouched, still sat. Frowning, she picked it up and tossed the contents into the sink. "What a waste," she muttered darkly. "And what a bitch."

...

She was in her room when she heard the door open, unlocked quietly.

"Mai," Gene called. "About ready?"

"Yeah," Mai said, picking up her bag and tossing it over her shoulder as she went to the main room. She had changed from her uniform into a comfortable hooded sweatshirt, a short winter skirt with knit tights covering her legs.

From the tone of her voice, both twins immediately knew that something was amiss. Naru's eyes searched her face, silently asking her what was wrong. She turned her gaze away, bending to pull on her winter boots and zipping up the sides.

Gene looked around the room for several moments before suddenly asking, "Who was that woman, Mai?"

She knew they could see the tension on her face. Naru's questioning gaze had moved from her to his twin and back again, his lips pursing, obviously wanting to demand answers. Exhaling slightly, she moved her eyes between the two, debating whether or not now was the time to breach the topic. "Let's talk about it later," she finally said, sighing again. "On the train or when we get to the hotel. Sorry. I'm just... tired." She buttoned up her coat and took her scarf from the peg on the wall. "Besides, we should get going, right?"

"Sooner or later," Naru said blandly. "You have what you need? Homework, too?"

Mai made a face. "Something like that." Her expression dimmed, her eyes traveled toward the walls on either side of the apartment. "We probably shouldn't spend any more time here together." She shook her head slightly. "It would seem that my neighbors are watching disapprovingly."

Gene cast a curious and worried glance toward his brother, who shook his head slightly with a frown, having no explanation to offer him.

Then, with a final glance around her apartment: unplugging the few electric appliances from around the room, they left. Mai locked the door carefully behind her, dropping the keys into her coat pocket. "Let's hurry," she muttered, "I don't want my neighbors to see me leaving to speculate to Ogasawara."

"They won't notice," Gene said confidently, his steps light as he strode toward the stairs. He did not see the questioning glance that Mai threw to Naru, who simply lifted his shoulders in response.

...

Standing in the queue to pick up their reserved tickets, Naru noticed that Mai had begun to yawn with recurring frequency, and when they had boarded the train and set their luggage on the overhead racks, Mai settled into the seat, leaning back with a sigh, her eyes becoming cloudy and unfocused. When the train finally began to move her eyes had closed, her breathing deepened.

"I guess we'll have to wait to hear about Ogasawara," Gene noted with a bit of a grin twitching his lips as he sat down, settling into his seat. They had turned the seats so that there were two seats on each side facing each other. Mai had seated herself first, choosing as she always did to sit next to the window. She had promptly placed their jackets on the seat next to her, allowing the brothers to sit next to each other on the opposite side.

Naru frowned. "I have a hunch, but..." He pursed his lips, watching the napping girl. He did not like the fact that Mai was upset about something that he did not know the details. "What did you see there?"

"Just that Mai had an unwelcome visitor." Gene closed his eyes, frowning as he thought. "And she did not drink the tea that was offered." A smile tugged his lips upwards. "Mai called her a choice word." Opening his eyes and seeing his brother's alarmed look, he added quickly, "After the woman left. You know Mai, never openly rude."

Naru lifted his eyebrows. "She wasn't always that way."

"Really?"

"When she was younger, she often let her temper get the best of her. Even to strangers." A small grin twitched his lips, remembering how she had all but lunged angrily at the teacher at Yasuhara's school. "She's grown out of that a bit."

"I'll say." Gene moved his gaze to the window, watching the city lights speed by as the train picked up speed. "All of us going together will complicate things a little bit, won't it?" He suddenly asked, changing the subject abruptly.

Naru shifted in his seat, lifting his leg and setting his ankle against knee, resting his hands loosely in his lap. "Perhaps," he finally agreed. "We don't quite look old enough to be going on a trip unsupervised, I imagine."

"And we can't say we're all related. I doubt anyone would be fooled." Gene moved his gaze from the window to Mai's peaceful slumbering figure. "Not that I am suggesting she shouldn't have come," he added quickly.

"Thank you for inviting her," his brother said softly, turning his head to meet his gaze. "I... appreciate it."

"Of course." Gene rubbed his neck and settled into the chair, yawning. "I think she's got the right idea. Wake me up if you guys get hungry and want to eat dinner, okay? Or if you want to wait until we get there, that's fine too." He shrugged slightly, grinning and closing his eyes. "Just don't eat without me!"

...

Mai opened her eyes slowly, blinking. She sat up and yawned, looking up to gaze at the two figures opposite her. Gene was sleeping peacefully, slumped toward his brother, his head resting on his shoulder, breathing deeply in his slumber. Naru had been reading a newspaper, which he lowered as soon as she stirred.

"Feel better?" He inquired.

"Much," Mai nodded and stretched her arms again, another small yawn surprising her. Naru smiled slightly and she grinned, embarrassed. "I guess I was tired, huh? Still am."

He nodded, watching her with a comfortable look on his face. Eventually his expression turned more serious and he spoke again. "Who is Ogasawara?" He finally questioned.

Mai sighed, reaching to her head and running her fingers through her mussed hair to smooth it. "To put it simply, she works for the agency that manages the affairs of my parents' estate. Or finances, my inheritance, whatever."

"She didn't visit you last time like this."

"Of course not!" Mai frowned. "I guess one of my neighbors must have called her or the agency up—probably old granny Sawatari, who else is going to notice such things as my comings and goings?" She snorted slightly. "Last time I wasn't doing anything _suspect_, Naru, thank you very much. Or anything that could be _interpreted_ as suspect."

He smiled thinly. "Of course you weren't. Just working terrible hours for some selfish bastard."

She leaned forward, swatting at his hand. "Don't say that."

He smirked slightly. "It's the truth, isn't it?"

"I didn't mind. And don't call yourself that." She frowned at him, wagging her finger. "As far as Ogasawara.." Mai sighed, "she certainly lives up to her reputation." She rested her chin on her hand, gazing out the window at the bleak scenery. "What an unpleasant woman. I remember.. Umemoto-kun? Was that his name? He was older than me as I recall. Anyway," she waved her hand slightly. "Neither here nor there. It was my last year in school and I found out this boy at my school—let's just say it was Umemoto—was also an orphan and had his parents' estate managed by this agency. I don't know what Ogasawara's exact position is but she's some sort of manager that handles the accounts, is ultimately responsible for children receiving their monthly installments and the final sum when they become legal adults. I think he got into some minor trouble—maybe underage smoking. She gave him hell for it. He told me I should avoid her, at all costs." She smiled sadly. "I thought I was lucky, then, not to have to worry about such things."

"She can't do anything to you," Naru said quietly. "Even if she took away your inheritance from your parents—if she could legally refuse that to you—she can't do anything to you when I'm here. With Gene and I with you, there's nothing she can do to you."

Mai smiled, reaching across the small space between them to take his hand, holding it gently. "I know," she said, smiling gratefully. "Thank you. I just don't... want to cause trouble, you know?"

He squeezed her hand in return. "I know."

...

It was close to nine o'clock when they arrived, though from the darkness of the sky and her intermittent napping, it felt much later. Mai stepped off the train into the station, glancing around before leading the brothers toward the platform exit.

They were walking through the hallway when Naru held up his hand, gesturing for Mai to wait. Gene had stopped in front of the train schedules, gazing upwards with a peculiar look on his face.

"Tomorrow," he said, pausing as he gazed at the train tables, "let's take the train to Omachi. Early. If we could arrive before ten..." He hesitated, studying the times. "We should probably take the six o'clock morning train." He turned to his brother, searching his face before looking at Mai. "Too early?"

"Of course not," Naru said, his eyes light with a smile that did not quite reach his lips.

Gene looked relieved and nodded. "Okay. Let's do that, then. But," he paused, interrupting himself. "More important things first." Gene said quickly, a lopsided grin crossing his face. "Dinner first. I'm starving."

...

* * *

...

A/N: Thank you, thank you to everyone who encouraged me to update. I am immensely grateful for your kind words.

As always, thank you for reading! Many many thanks for your patience and sticking with me after all this time. I'd be very happy to know what you thought, so feel free to leave a review or drop me a note. Any feedback is always appreciated! Until next time, cheers!


	7. Part VII

_**Part VII**_

_This is a dream._

A sunny afternoon, a crisp wind and high clouds in the brilliant cerulean sky. He lifts his head toward the trees, the leaves the bright green of new growth. Spring, he surmises. Late spring, the tulips are opening their buds, and there are countless daffodils in this park he has been walking through. The colors are too pleasant, the air too refreshing to be real.

Someone calls his name but the words seem to be taken by the breeze and he cannot hear them. At least, he cannot hear with his ears—it is with his heart that he seems to know he has been called and so he moves toward them obediently. He hurries forward, approaching a couple and a child in the distance. They have set out a blanket on the grass, sheltered from the wind beneath a lilac tree in full, fragrant bloom. They wave and the child runs toward him. She is a beautiful young girl with the straight black hair and angular face of her father, the chestnut eyes and bright, easy smile of her mother.

"_Genie_!" She calls, her face vibrant, jumping into his arms and he laughs, spinning her around. She is small and light in his arms; small even for a five year old, he suspects, but he knows some day she will grow into a beautiful young woman, even more beautiful than her mother.

"What did you make me for lunch?" He teases her, their noses touching before he sets her down again on the grass.

Her face is glowing with happiness. "You know my Mum made the picnic, not me," she laughs.

"Too busy reading, I suppose? Or looking at star charts again?"

"Star charts today," she beams. "If Mum lets me stay up tonight with you and Daddy I can show you all the stars I learned about today. Did you know Castor and Pollux are the twins in Gemini? Just like you and Daddy!" Her face falls after she says this. "But they're pretty low on the horizon so I don't know if we'll be able to see them."

"That's a shame."

"Yeah. Oh—did you know Vega is the fifth brightest star in the night sky? It's pretty close to Earth, too, a lot younger and a lot bigger than the sun. And they think a planet the size of Jupiter probably orbits it. Oh," she exclaims, clapping her hands together. She looks so much like her mother when she talks and it brings an easy smile to his face. "And! I wanted to tell you that I learned about Zubenelgenubi and Zubeneschamali!"

"Now that's a mouthful."

"Yeah! Isn't that funny? _Alpha _and _Beta Librae_. I like the long names better though!" She hums a little. "We can see Mars, tonight, too."

"What time does the moon rise?"

"Mn, a bit after eleven, I think." She smiles shyly. "I want to see it with you."

His hand ruffles her hair. "That's my girl. I'll tell your Mum to make an exception to your bedtime tonight. She's pretty easy-going about it, isn't she?"

"Usually." She grins. "Daddy got me a new book from the library, with lots of pictures of galaxy fields and star clusters. They're so pretty!" She sighs happily, taking his hand and leading him toward her parents. "I'll show it to you later."

"You convinced your father to break from his work to join us this afternoon, I see."

She makes a face. "He didn't want to! Tried to convince Mum not to let us go. Says he doesn't like picnics."

"Honestly, I can't blame him," he says, and scooping her in his arms again, lifts her to his shoulders and runs toward the couple. The girl's shrieking laughter fades and he closes his eyes.

_No,_ Gene frowns. _Not yet. What happened before?_

He is standing in front of a pale blue door. His brother is carrying his suitcase and he himself has a heavy knapsack on his back. They can hear the hurried footsteps before they have a chance to open the door, which swings open and the woman behind it is smiling brightly, laughing as she throws her arms around her neck.

"Gene!" She cries happily, releasing him and leading him into their home, his brother following and closing the door behind him. "How was your flight?"

"Long," he says, laughing, stepping away from her and slipping off his pack to drop on the floor. She takes his coat and hangs it on the rack as he follows his brother, taking off their shoes and stepping into the adjacent room. He sits down heavily on the sofa, leaning back into the pillows. "Long, but okay. Man, feels good to be here. Home."

"I'll say," his brother says, a small smile lifting the corners of his lips.

"I'm glad," she smiles. "Do you want coffee? I know it's late, but we have decaf."

He glances toward his brother, who seems to already know what he's about to say and is agreeable with the thought. "Mind putting on a pot of tea?"

"Of course!" She hurries into the kitchen and he can hear the sound of her opening the cupboard to take out the teapot, the pot she always uses to make tea for her husband. "How was your trip?" She calls.

"Good, great. And everyone gave their best to you. I assume you've already heard from Ayako?"

She giggles, bringing teacups on saucers into the room and setting them on the low table in front of them. "Yes. She couldn't wait to tell everyone she was pregnant."

"Masako's doing well. She gave me some things to give to you, they're with the rest of my souvenirs." He waves a non-committal hand toward his suitcase, leaning against the wall under his coat. "Bou-san said he missed you, and when are you going to bring your Princess to Japan to introduce her properly." At his words, she exchanges a glance with his brother.

"Could be sooner than he thinks," his brother says, smiling.

"Speaking of. Is she asleep?"

"She went to bed a couple hours ago. She's in her room if you want to check on her," she says, heading back to the kitchen.

He stands, rubbing his head. "Yeah. I'll be back out for that tea, so don't drink it all, Noll," he cautions, and his brother smirks at him in response.

"No promises when it comes to Mai's tea."

He climbs some stairs and walks down a narrow hallway, stopping at the last closed door. He pushes it open quietly, peeking inside. The dark room is illuminated by the light from the hall and glowing stars on the ceiling. Under a blue and green patchwork quilt lays a young girl. Her eyes open with the light.

"Genie," she says sleepily, smiling. "You're back. Welcome home."

He smiles as he steps into the room, sitting down on the bed beside her. "You're awake? We must've woken you when we came in, huh."

"Mm. I could hear just a little. Can I get up and come downstairs?"

"Better not. Your mother will scold me. Besides, we won't be up long."

"Okay," she says reluctantly, closing her eyes as he smoothes her hair. "Genie..?"

"Yes?"

"Is it true that you died once?"

He pauses, thrown off guard by the unexpectedness of the question. "It is," he says.

"Is that why you can see ghosts?"

"No, I could see spirits before I died."

"Oh." She pauses, thinking. "You're okay, now, though, right?"

"Of course."

"I'm glad you're not dead anymore."

"Me, too," he agrees, his hand resting gently on her head.

"I heard Mummy and Daddy talking about it last night. Mummy said she was worried you were lonely." She opens her eyes, searching his face. "You're not lonely, are you?"

"Of course not," he says honestly, smiling. "I am very happy, to be with you and your mother and father. And your grandparents and all of my friends. I'm surrounded by people I love, so why should I be lonely?"

"I suppose so," she agrees, and satisfied her eyes closed once more.

"What else did you hear?" He asks, knowing there is more.

Her eyelashes flutter but her eyes remain closed, her small lips pursing in a frown. He almost laughs, thinking how much she looks like her father. "Daddy said, he asked Mummy how she would feel about living in Japan for a little while. He said he wanted to work there again, temporarily."

The news does not come as a surprise to him as his brother had confided his idea to him some time before breaching the topic with his wife. In fact, he'd told him on the drive back from the airport that they were planning the move and had asked if he would come with them.

The girl continues. "And when Mummy asked Daddy if he wanted to live in Tokyo, he said no, he wanted to live in the country and somewhere by the ocean. He said they should look around Tsuruga," she says the name of the city carefully, "and then Mummy did that thing where she cries, even though she's happy."

He smiles. He had actually gone through Tsuruga during his trip at his brother's request, to determine if it would be an appropriate place to work. And his trip had suggested it would be most auspicious indeed. A thought strikes him and he pauses, frowning.

"You overheard all this, after you'd gone to bed?" He asks and she nods. He listens quietly, knowing that from this bedroom, by the arrangement of the house it is all but impossible to distinguish the muffled sounds of voices from downstairs. A suspicion begins to grow in his mind. "How long have you been able to send your mind outside your body?"

Her eyes open wide, surprised. "How did you know I..." She frowns, perhaps embarrassed that her secret has been exposed.

"I can do that, too," he says, laughing lightly. "Though it is not a practice I partake in often, anymore. Did you just learn how to do this recently?"

"Mn, yeah," she says and her embarrassment turns to hope. "Does this mean I'll be able to do the things you do?"

"Maybe someday," he says, smiling, leaning forward to kiss her forehead before rising to his feet. "I'd better go downstairs before your father drinks all the tea and let you get back to sleep."

"Mmkay," she says, closing her eyes. "Make me pancakes for breakfast tomorrow? You said you'd make me pancakes when you came back."

He laughs out loud. "It's a deal. Pancakes and I'll give you your belated birthday present."

"Very belated," she agrees, smiling and pouting. "It's already been a month." She looks a little sad, gazing up at him in the dim room. "You were gone a long time this time, Genie. How long are you going to stay before you leave again?"

He pauses, wondering himself the answer to that question. "I don't know. We'll talk about it tomorrow, okay?"

"Promise?"

"Promise. Over pancakes." This brings a smile to her lips and she closes her eyes. "And don't listen in on your parents too often," he warns, a smile tugging at his lips. Eventually, no doubt, she would hear something she didn't want to, but he wanted to spare her that. "You don't need to. They'll tell you everything, you know?"

"Mmkay," she says again, her voice sleepy. "I won't eavesdrop anymore. Good night, Genie."

"Good night," he says, stepping into the dim hallway and closing the door behind him. Shaking his head slightly, a smile on his lips, he returns downstairs.

"She was awake?" His brother asks, glancing up at him as he sits down, pouring two cups of tea.

"Yeah." He grins, running his hand through his hair. "I can hardly believe it! Two months. Seems like she's grown incredibly. Her vocabulary's better, too. She must be picking up new words all the time."

"She is," his brother says, smiling and taking a sip of the tea. "I'll say a word and can tell by the look on her face that it's unfamiliar to her, but then we hear her try it out a few days later."

"She's jolly brilliant, you know. Amazing for being just four years old."

"Of course she is." He snorts slightly, reaching for his cup of tea again as his wife brings a platter with jam and toast from the kitchen. "Look who her father is."

"Luckily she takes after her father," she says, smiling demurely as she sets the tray down on the table. She kneels and begins to spread jam on a piece of toast, holding it toward her husband. "Toast, Gene? We can reheat some dinner too, if you'd rather."

He waves his hands quickly in refusal. "No, no, toast is fine."

"Luckily she doesn't _only_ take after me," his brother retorts, taking the proffered slice of bread and taking a bite.

"Yeah, she takes after me, too." He is laughing, and tells them his revelation of her ability to send her mind outside her body, as he can do. Her mother seems surprised at the news, but his brother is not, instead stating matter-of-factly that he'd been waiting for something like this to happen.

It seems almost strange, he thinks, that this immense happiness isn't astounding. It is simply normal, comfortable. Even after everything they've gone through, the three of them. They can sit like this, drinking tea and eating toast in the sitting room, talking and laughing.

He is no longer part of the scene, but rather finds himself watching it from afar. The lights grow dimmer and he turns his head, searching for a new sound that has just reached his ears.

He realizes he has been standing in a hospital waiting room, though for how long he does not remember. His arms had been folded across his chest and he drops them, shifting on his feet when suddenly his brother appears from the next room. His hair is disheveled and there is a shadow of stubble around his chin, but there is a joy in his eyes he's never seen before.

"It's a girl," he laughs, laying his hand on his shoulder. "Mai is asking for you! Come on."

_A baby girl_, he thinks. _My brother is a father._

But he already knew that, didn't he? He closes his eyes once more, shaking his head. _No, no, no_. _Not yet._

And then there is the screech of tires, the pain of impact, and he is sinking, sinking again into the dark, murky depths of the lake. Deeper, into the darkness, fear like a sharp hook in his belly.

_Was it all for nothing? Will I be forgotten?_

_Let me stay at their side, so that I can watch over them. Always by their side._

...

Gene awoke with a gasp, his eyes wide as the ceiling appeared above him, shadowed unevenly as light from the street filtered through the hotel room curtains.

He swallowed and rubbed his forehead with his fingers, counting silently to eight and back again to steady his heavy breathing. His heartbeat was pounding so loud within his ears it seemed as if the bed itself was shaking.

He turned his head to the side, seeking out the dark shape of his brother next to him. His twin's breathing was slow and steady, his rest undisturbed. Gene then turned his head to the other direction, seeking out the form of Mai on the other bed. He could not see her features but could make out the shape of her form under the comforter.

When his breathing became even and calm, he slid out of the bed as quietly as he could and walked across the carpet toward the doorway, stepping into the bathroom and turning on the light.

A soft overhead fan turned on with the light, a warm wave of air following and he sighed, turning on the faucet and splashing some water onto his face. He took a hand towel and wiped the droplets from his skin, turning when he heard the soft sound of covers rustling and feet on the carpet, barely audible over the sound of the fan. Mai appeared in the doorway, tilting slightly on her bare feet and leaning against the door frame, hesitating.

"Are you okay?" She asked softly, concern evident in her eyes.

"Yeah," he sighed, rubbing his eyes and tossing the towel onto the sink. "I'm fine." He sat down on the edge of the bathtub, his eyes flicking towards his reflection in the tall mirror. Mai did not seem assured and he had no reason to blame her. He did not look fine; he looked like a tired and lonely sixteen year old boy, too scared to admit he was afraid.

Mai approached him, dropping to her knees to sit in front of him on the rug that covered the tiles next to the bathtub. "Can't sleep?" She whispered. "Bad dream?"

He turned his gaze away from her, remembering her smiling face as he ran with her daughter on his shoulders, her laughter as she refilled their cups of tea in the sitting room. Or, he wondered, was it her smiling face from their trip to Ueno Zoo that he remembered? Her profile as she spoke quietly to the monkeys, or the way she giggled at the elephants? During the in-between hours of deep night before the dawn, he was not completely certain what were his real memories and what was yet to come. "Something like that," he mumbled. He dropped his face into his hands. "Sorry," he sighed. "I'm just a little.. disoriented."

"Did you have a vision?" She asked and bit her lip nervously as she continued. "Of today...?"

"No, no," he shook his head quickly. "Mostly the future, a distant future." A smile lifted his lips. "Or a possible future. I suppose it's not guaranteed that it will come to pass." He turned his gaze toward her, studying her features and feeling a smile move across his lips. _She will make a wonderful mother_, he thought. _And being a father will transform Noll, too. I suppose the birth of that child will change all of us_. His smile slipped from his features and he suddenly felt extremely lonely. _Not that I can tell either of them any of this._

Then, with a shiver, he felt the cold water on his skin and the suffocating darkness closing around him. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, focusing on the warm air blowing from the fan. Mai, sensing his anxiety, leaned forward toward him and rested her hands against his knees. He focused his thoughts on the warmth of her fingers.

He exhaled again, dropping his hands and resting his elbows against his thighs. "And then I dreamed, again, of something that happened a long time ago," he began, letting out a brief chuckle. He turned his head and raised his hand to rub the bridge of his nose. He felt antsy and nervous.

"I suppose you could say it was something that never happened at all," he sighed. Mai looked somewhat bewildered and he continued, rubbing the back of his neck. "Just another dream about the past," he sighed, and corrected himself quickly. "_Your _past. Though, I suppose it was my past, too, but I was dead already. You were alive, so it seems to make more sense to say it that way."

Mai looked worried, reaching toward him to take his hand in her own. "You're not... I mean, you haven't... seen your own death, have you?"

He nodded apologetically, a guilty feeling spreading throughout his core when he saw her eyebrows knit together and tears form in her eyes. "It's all right, Mai. It's probably better this way." A small smile formed on his lips. "I think I would rather remember, in all honesty, remember everything. Otherwise," his words faltered and he swallowed. "Otherwise I fear I'll never understand you and Noll."

"That's not—" she started, but Gene cut her off with a wave of his hand.

"I mean, it's true. I'm none the wiser, but Noll's lived far into the future. Are we still peers? You could probably say he's less my twin brother and more of a mentor."

"Naru wouldn't say that," Mai said crossly.

"He wouldn't, but only to be nice," Gene said, and Mai snorted.

"Naru isn't _nice_," she said, her voice sullen and her eyes downcast. "We both know that."

He chuckled weakly. "He is to you."

"And you." A wistful smile crossed her lips as she thought of the sleeping boy in the next room. Gene was again struck with amazement of how much she cared for him and how obvious it was that she loved him in a way that would never, could never be rivaled.

"Lucky git," he muttered, finding a smile on his face.

"Eh?"

He shook his head. "Nothing," and the two drifted back into silence.

"How much have you remembered?" Mai finally asked. "Will you remember everything?"

"I don't know," he said honestly. "I know a lot of what has happened; you've both told me. Seeing it through my own eyes," he paused, thinking. "I think that would help."

Mai bit her lip nervously. "If that's what you want. But... but, isn't it painful? To remember such things? To know that at the time..." Her voice trailed off, unable to complete her statement. Instead, her hands squeezed his gently. Her hands seemed small in his own, he noticed, almost delicate in their fragility.

"Maybe," Gene sounded dubious. "Though from the perspective of one who investigates paranormal experiences, it was actually very interesting." He sighed and rubbed his face with his other hand. Mai could see that he was tired. Even before the vision he had slept restlessly. "Of course only after the fact am I able to think about it rationally. Now, I am grateful that I was able to see it and experience it as it happened."

"Grateful?"

Gene gazed forward, unseeing. Mai had the distinct impression that somehow he was able to see outside the walls of the hotel to the world around them, that his eyes were in fact taking in the twinkling lights of the city and the pale shapes of the mountains that surrounded them. That those deep blue eyes could see everything, could take it all in even when others would turn away, overwhelmed by it all. Naru's eyes were like that, she knew. The brothers both saw the world through an inner eye, though Naru's eye was informed by his mind while Gene's was often guided by his heart.

"I felt two very distinct emotions. One was a peaceful detachment, the serenity of letting go. _Que sera sera_. What will be, will be." He sighed deeply, then, sadness etched into his features. "The other, an incredible sense of loss, the terrible realization that there was no turning back from this moment. That it could not be undone." He paused, and his eyes seemed to focus as he suddenly looked toward the bedroom, if he could see it, where the form of his sleeping brother lay silently. When he resumed his voice was lower and quite solemn. "Even when my heartbeat had stopped, I could hear the frantic pumping of another. The terror and the indescribable horror of what was happening. So I can only imagine those were Noll's feelings," he said ruefully. "So now I think I can understand what he felt when you died. And for that, I am grateful."

Mai felt the tears slip from her eyes, down her cheeks and falling to her lap, the droplets soaking into the fabric of her pyjamas.

Gene lifted his hand and leaned forward, reaching toward her to smooth her hair gently, a tender smile lifting his lips. Mai felt her heart lurch, recognizing the face immediately as the gentle face she had seen in her dreams so long ago, the face she had mistaken for Naru's. She felt a blush creep across her features and she pulled away from his touch. The action immediately shamed her. "I'm sorry," she stammered, uncomfortable. "I don't... I mean... I..."

"No, Mai," Gene said softly, a sad smile upon his lips. "I'm the one who's sorry." He leaned forward and pressed his lips against her forehead, taking her arms and drawing her to her feet and into a gentle hug. "You are so incredibly precious to my brother," he whispered. "And you are precious to me. Thank you for being here."

Mai, her eyes wide in surprise, found tears forming in her eyes again and she did not know what to say.

"I promise," he continued, "I'll be there for you. I'll stay by your, and by Noll's, side. Always."

Not knowing exactly why she was crying, Mai nodded, returning his embrace tightly. "As long as you let me return the favor," she whispered. She could feel his calm heart, beating next to her own.

They stood for a long time, hugging under the warm vent of the quiet bathroom fan. Gene slowly released her, stepping away and covering a large yawn with his hand. She could see that some of the strain had disappeared from his features and she supposed he would sleep peacefully until dawn.

"Let's go back to sleep, Mai." He smiled sleepily. "After all, we're going to meet our grandmother today so we ought to get some rest."

She followed him back into the room, worry gripping at her heart. Gene would sleep soundly, but she would lay awake, thoughts tumbling nervously in her head until the alarm clock sounded to signal their departure.

...

The three left the hotel before the sun rose, instead making their way back to the train station under the silent gaze of a lonely quarter moon. Outside the station, Mai turned her head as she scanned the sky, noting the clouds that were sweeping over the city and wondering if she could attribute the foreboding feeling simply to the changing weather and incoming storm. After they entered the building, Naru went to buy the tickets to Omachi while she bought some snacks at a kiosk that would suffice for breakfast. Gene waited with their luggage, his eyes heavy and covering his yawns with his hand.

"We can sleep on the train, it's a couple hours, right?" Mai asked as she returned to his side, packing the food she had purchased carefully in her bag.

"Yeah," Gene said, yawning again. "An hour to Matsumoto and then an hour after we transfer, I think."

"Stop it, it's contagious," she laughed, turning her head to the side and yawning.

Gene leveled his gaze across the platform, his eyes narrowing for several moments before relaxing.

"What is it?"

He shook his head. "Just a wandering spirit. It won't cause any trouble, though. It will pass soon."

"You see them everywhere, huh..." Mai's voice trailed off.

He shrugged, nodding and yawning again, stretching his arms to the side and closing his eyes. "You get used to it," he said simply. "Most spirits are benign, just specters waiting about before they move on, without difficulty." He rose to his feet. "Here's Noll, finally."

"Sorry for the wait," Naru apologized, sounding annoyed. "The tickets took longer than I'd thought. How troublesome."

"Everything okay?" Mai asked, pursing her lips slightly.

"Yeah," he sighed and shook his head. "Let's go."

It began to snow as they waited on the train. When the train pulled out of the station, heading south, Mai looked up at the sky and saw that the moon was obscured and the falling snow hid the surrounding mountains.

Gene fell asleep almost immediately. Naru unzipped his bag, pulling out a water bottle and taking a drink.

"What was the trouble with the tickets?" She asked.

"Nothing much." He shook his head, pausing to take another drink. "The attendant seemed surprised to see three teenagers headed out so early in the morning and perhaps a little reluctant to give me the tickets because of that. He kept asking questions about where we were going and how long we were staying." He snorted with disgust. "Of course, when I said we were going to visit our grandmother, he seemed to think it was all right. People," he frowned, "are too nosy for their own good."

"Oh, is that all," Mai said, sounding relieved.

He nodded, watching her as he took a long drink. "What's wrong, Mai?" He finally asked, offering her the water bottle.

She frowned slightly, lifting the bottle to take a drink. "I don't know," she said as she passed it back to him, shaking her head. "I didn't sleep well, I guess. Somehow I feel.. nervous." She laughed quietly, but there was no mirth in her voice. "Sorry. I'm probably just tired."

"Don't belittle your instincts," he said, replacing the bottle in his bag.

Her frown deepened. "My instincts haven't been worth anything, lately."

"Don't say that." He settled back into his chair, considering her. "We wouldn't be here without your instincts."

"We wouldn't be here without Gene," she corrected, frowning. "I wouldn't have lasted a month at SPR without Gene."

"Maybe," he said, though his voice was dubious. "You give yourself too little credit."

She gazed out the window, watching the snow whip past the train windows. "When you open the office, again, will it be as Shibuya Kazuya? And Shibuya Ichirou?"

"Of course. After all, it is SPR." A smile twitched at his lips.

"Do you think you'll be recognized as Oliver and Eugene Davis?" Mai frowned. "After all, what about Bou-san? And Masako? Masako, surely. She saw the video of you two."

Naru shrugged. "I imagine we can ask them to be discreet."

"Yeah." She giggled. "Masako will do anything for you, if you ask her nicely."

"Maybe not, if she knows I'm not available." His face lightened. "I imagine it will be much easier to build your friendship again with her, if she doesn't have to consider herself your rival."

"Yeah, maybe," Mai agreed and laughed. "Or she'll resent me even more."

"We can keep our relationship a secret, if you'd rather," he suggested dryly.

"No way! I'd definitely blow it," She laughed and he smiled, relieved to see her anxious face replaced by a happy one.

"It's strange, isn't it?" Mai said, smiling wistfully. "But I guess we're lucky, huh? To have a second chance at this." She giggled, leaning her head against her hand. "I hope I'm nicer this time."

"You were always nice," he scoffed.

She made a vague sound, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with him. "Gene's remembering it all, isn't he?" She sighed again, her eyes saddening. "Do you think he'll remember everything?"

"I imagine he will." He turned his gaze to his sleeping brother. "Gene's abilities are more incredible than I could have ever thought. He can look to the past or the future much more clearly than he ever could before. We went to Tokyo Tower yesterday," he gazed at his brother, a perplexed look growing on his face. "He managed to look into the past, and singled out the moment our parents passed by the same place in which we stood, nearly twenty years ago." He shook his head in amazement. "I've never heard of a clairvoyant with such precise precognition or postcognition. To be capable of both is quite amazing, indeed."

"Amazing," Mai echoed, tilting her head to the side and releasing a sigh. "But it would be lonely for anyone else, I imagine." She smiled at him. "I'm glad he has you."

"Us," Naru corrected. "The three of us together. Isn't that what you wanted?"

A wide smile spread over her features and moisture formed in her eyes. She suddenly wished they weren't on the train because she had the desire to embrace them both, to hold the two most important people close to her tightly. "Yes," she whispered. "Yeah. It is."

...

_The dreams are filled with visions of the past, of a future that had once cycled by and will now never come to pass. It varies between the mundane and the extraordinary. There are vengeful ghosts and long forgotten spirits, clinging to a life they can never reclaim, just as there are overnight train rides and slow afternoons in the office doing paperwork. All the while, he stands behind his brother silently. This, he knows, was a past his brother lived without Mai. He sees his adopted mother arranging meetings with young English girls, girls who are pretty and mild mannered, intelligent and talented. It is almost funny to him, to see these unsuccessful matchmaking attempts when he knows that Mai is the one who really holds his heart. It is a fact even his brother is blind to._

_Then he sees a scene that nearly breaks his heart. His brother paling as he learns of her death. Speechless, fumbling for words. A look of hopelessness crossing his face. Dropping his face into his hands as he weeps. He hasn't seen his brother cry since he himself passed from the world of the living. It is an agonizing afternoon, watching him struggle with the truth, turning his thoughts over in his mind. He knows what he will attempt to do and that he must help him so he is successful._

_He sees their meeting again, after their return to the past, but this time he sees the encounter in full. He finds himself smiling as their hands settle together tentatively, whooping with delight when they kiss. He is witness to the beginning of their new beginning and he hums happily to himself as he follows his brother back to England. He watches his own funeral with a disinterested gaze. Finally, it seems, Mai arrives in London and things seem to move in fast forward. There is so much that happens in the coming years and what he feels is joy and sadness wound into one. Great joy that his brother has found something precious, something he himself will never see, and tremendous sadness that he has been doomed to walk alone, unseen beside them._

_Finally, the memories come to a halt at that final, fateful day. He knows something terrible is coming. When he sees her standing on the sidewalk, waiting for the light to change, it becomes clear what is about to happen and he begins to weep. "Mai," he shouts, over and over again, his voice hoarse and his vision blurry from the tears. He knows he cannot change this outcome but he wishes he could with all of his being. "It's dangerous! Get away from there!"_

_Mai's humming stops. For the first time in years her eyes search the air for his voice. She turns her head, looking behind her frantically, not hearing his voice but knowing it is there, calling out to her._

_But it is too late. He drops to his knees, his head turned away, unable to watch as the sounds of his brother's sobs fill his ears._

_The vision changes and he watches his own meeting with Mai at the train station, only seven days ago. This is how it begins, he thinks. But the dream does not linger there; he is thrust suddenly into the future, finding himself suddenly standing in a sunny kitchen next to a petite woman. Though he knows immediately this future is not guaranteed to come to pass, the vision is so idyllic that he wants to pretend it is real. She is in front of the sink and there is a dishtowel in his hand. He dries the dishes as she washes them, stacking them neatly on the counter. They are talking, laughing, as they perform this mundane task together. When she finishes, wiping her hands on the front of her apron, she steps away from the sink and he realizes she is pregnant._

_She begins the task of putting the dishes away in the cupboard and the sound of the front door opening reaches their ears. She calls out the name of his brother happily, even though she does not turn away from her chore. A mirror image of himself enters the room, smiling as he crosses the room, taking her shoulders from behind and gently leaning around her to kiss her cheek. He finds himself watching the glowing expression on her face, the way she smiles happily, lowering her eyes demurely, giggling. His brother is apologizing that he had to work on the weekend. He finally turns his gaze away from her face when she laughs and she reaches toward him to squeeze his arm. She is telling his brother that it was okay, the two of them spent the whole day together. She turns toward him and with a wistful smile says she can't believe his week with them is already over and that he's off again to Japan tomorrow._

_His brother smiles though his eyes are also somber and he claps his brother on the shoulder gently. Time flies, he says with a small grin lifting the corners of his lips._

_Gene closes his eyes. In the distance, he hears his brother's voice._

_"The three of us together. Isn't that what you wanted?"_

Then he opened his eyes again, the steady rumbling of the train growing louder and louder and pulling him out of his slumber. His eyes drifted over his companions. Mai was leaning against her hand, eyes closed and breathing peacefully; his twin was leaning back into the seat, dozing. He felt as if years had passed in his sleep, as if he had lived many moments since he sat down on the train only an hour ago. He knew with certainty he had seen the past—his past after his own death as he lingered by the side of his brother—but he'd also caught a glimpse of what could be the future.

His thoughts drifted to the final vision, standing by Mai's side as they washed the dishes, waiting for his brother to return from his visit to the office. _Was it the future_, he wondered again, pondering his dream and turning the details over in his mind. This was not the first vision that implied his brother and Mai would be living together in London. _Strange_, he pondered, a smile growing slowly on his lips. That the twins would separate from each other's side for such extended periods of time. Gene exhaled and smiled to himself, stretching his arms in front of his body and turning his gaze to the train window and the snow that rushed past it. _And yet_, he thought, _the two of them will be my home. I will always have them to return to._

He watched the snowy landscape rush by and turned his head when he realized his brother had awoken.

"Sorry," he said quietly.

Naru rubbed his forehead as if to wipe the last vestiges of sleep from his mind and frowned slightly, puzzled. "Why?"

Gene spread his hands wide. "All of this. This... wild goose chase." When his brother's frown deepened, he continued. "Searching for these answers about the past."

"I thought this was what you wanted."

"It was." He exhaled heavily. "But the more I remember about what really happened..." _The more I see of the future_, he thought, "..the less important this seems. It's all in the past, isn't it?"

"Perhaps." Naru agreed slowly. "However, knowing the past can be valuable for the future. That's something I did not understand before, when I first refused." Gene nodded dubiously. "And didn't you say you were certain we'd meet her today?"

He sighed slightly and nodded again. "Yes. I suppose we're already on our way. Might as well make the best of it."

"If you really don't want to..." Naru's voice trailed off. "We don't have to, you know. We can sightsee or find something to pass the time."

Gene remained silent for several moments, wondering what it was he really wanted. "What do you want, Noll?"

His brother smiled wryly. "I want you to be happy. Honestly, I don't care if we find our maternal grandmother or not. I can't imagine what effect it would have on me. But," he paused slightly, considering, "of course, it's difficult to predict. And I certainly don't want you to regret not finding her. Not asking her the questions you want answers to."

"You're right, of course." Gene nodded. "After all, it's just one more day. After this, we'll return to Tokyo. We can work on opening our psychic research office." A sad smile spread over his lips. "We need to do it before you return to England. I can't do it alone."

"I'm sure our parents will insist on having Lin chaperone you."

Gene rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean."

Naru smirked. "You just don't want to deal with the details." His expression lightened and he placed his hand over his brother's. "I'll be here as much as I can. You know that."

Gene grinned in response. "I know."

...

It was still snowing when they arrived in the city of Omachi, though the sky had lightened and it seemed to have let up quite a bit. Exiting the station, Mai squinted into the snowflakes as she shouldered her bag, her cheeks growing rosy from the wind. Gene, too, was glancing around, looking somewhat at a loss.

"Sorry," he apologized, his voice low. "I thought it would be obvious what to do when we got here, but..." his voice trailed off and he pursed his lips, his face troubled.

"Take your time," Naru said calmly, adjusting his gloves on his hands. Save for windswept hair under his knit hat, he did not look disturbed in the least by the weather. "We got here early so we'd have all day, right?"

Gene nodded and they set off down the street, into the peaceful, snowy city.

The trio walked for hours, meandering down streets and quiet neighborhoods, looking through windows of shops and businesses. They were lighthearted at first. Gene was quick to scoop the new snow in his hands and throw the compact balls at signposts or tree trunks with surprising accuracy. And when he threw a snowball at his brother's back, Mai was almost surprised to see Naru laughing, scooping snow himself and whipping it back squarely into his twin's face. The first time he had lived this age, as she had known him, he never would have done such a thing. The three ran down the deserted alleyway, laughing and throwing snow at each other.

But as the time passed, their games stopped and they simply continued to walk. Eventually even their conversation grew sparse and it was obvious they were all growing weary of the cold. Naru, seeing that Gene was disheartened and Mai's feet were beginning to drag, motioned for them to follow him and he led the way into a small, cozy restaurant. They ordered hot ramen and were grateful when they were quick to be served. Mai cupped her hands loosely around the bowl, blowing on the steaming noodles and broth.

"Sorry," Gene muttered, gazing at his soup and stirring it halfheartedly with his chopsticks. "I thought... I thought it would be easy to find. The place where we'll meet her. I guess I was wrong." He sighed, frowning at his soup.

"Would it help if we split up?" Mai ventured. When Naru looked at her questioningly, she shrugged slightly in response. "We might be able to find it a lot faster... if you knew what we were looking for..."

"But I don't know." He frowned, shaking his head as he lifted his bowl to drink his broth. "Not yet."

"I don't think we should separate, either." Naru said quietly. Even the thought of separation caused an anxious knot to form in his stomach. "I would feel better if we didn't."

After lunch, they had just stepped outside again when Gene lifted his nose toward the sky. Snowflakes drifted downward and settled on his cheeks, melting into small spots of moisture. "It's letting up," he remarked. "And... I have a feeling there's a knitting store around here somewhere. Or a yarn shop. Or maybe fabrics... no, it's definitely yarn." He smiled at his companions. "We should go there."

Again they began to search. Mai felt much better after lunch—sitting in a cozy room with hot food had certainly warmed her up a bit, though her feet were getting tired. She refused to complain, however, and followed the twins down the street.

The brothers together seemed to have an excellent sense of direction. They never passed down the same street twice and she knew they always knew exactly where they were in relation to the train station. They came to a craft store and Naru turned toward his brother hopefully, but Gene shook his head. And so they continued on.

After some time Gene's face suddenly brightened. "It's close," he said hopefully. "I have a feeling we're close." As they came to an intersection, he looked down each of the streets, hoping for something to guide him down one of them.

"Will she be there?" Mai asked him.

"Maybe," Gene said dubiously. "I don't know about that. But if we go there, we'll definitely meet her today." An annoyed frown grew on his face. "This way, I guess," he said, and they turned another corner. But as they walked down that street with no success, he grew agitated. "I know it's around here somewhere."

"Let me ask. Someone might know," Naru said, turning to observe the few pedestrians on the street. And before Mai or Gene could say anything, he stepped toward an elderly woman. "Excuse me..."

The woman seemed surprised to be stopped, but even more startled when she looked up at him. Mai noticed that she visibly paled as she saw him, and even more so when she saw his brother close behind him.

"Sorry to bother you," Naru said, looking politely apologetic. "We're looking for a store that sells yarn. Do you happen to know one in this area?"

"Noll," Gene whispered, his voice hoarse.

The woman's eyes darted between them: twins, one calm and the other agitated. Behind them, a girl stood waiting, her cheeks rosy from the cold. "Yes," she stammered. "In fact it is just down the street. Not far from here." She looked between them again, her eyes lingering on their features. "I was going there myself. Ah, I can... lead you there, if you like?"

"Thank you," Naru said. "That is most kind."

"Might I ask, why you are interested in yarn?"

"For me," Mai said quickly, glancing between the twins. "I wanted some yarn. To knit a scarf."

"Of course," the woman said, sounding almost relieved. "I apologize for my rudeness. When I first saw you, you reminded me of someone. But that's impossible..." her voice trailed off and she gestured for them to follow her. As they walked, Mai studied the woman, a strange suspicion growing in her mind. Naru's eyes met hers, and she mouthed a question at him. _Is it?_ In return, his eyes went to Gene, who was watching the woman carefully. _I don't know_, he mouthed back, shaking his head slightly. His hand slipped into hers and he squeezed her hand reassuringly.

As the woman had said, it was not far but they would not have been likely to find it on their own. Mai wondered if they had actually walked past it before. It was a tiny establishment, the door unmarked but for the name of a family that presumably ran the place. The woman moved forward and opened the door, the bells on the door jingling merrily, and the trio entered the shop behind her.

"Thank you very much," Naru thanked the woman. "It is much appreciated."

"Not at all. I was coming here myself." The woman repeated, and inclining her head politely, turned to walk away.

Naru turned toward his twin, eyes questioning. Gene shook his head slightly in response, still watching the woman. "I don't know," he muttered. "I thought..." His words trailed off when the shop woman noticed the elderly woman that had led them there.

"Ah, Shibuya-san," the woman at the counter said, smiling brightly. "I have the order you requested."

"Shibuya?" Naru repeated in disbelief, and Gene made a strangled sound.

The woman frowned slightly, turning to study them again. "What is it?"

"Ah, that is," Naru faltered, looking at Gene's flustered expression and realizing how rude he had been to simply call out her name so suddenly. "It just seems an odd coincidence. I am Shibuya Kazuya, and this is my brother, Ichirou."

"Shibuya.. Kazuya?" The woman repeated, staring at him, her voice just above a whisper. "Shibuya Kazuya was my husband," she managed, eyes darting between the twins once more. Naru stepped back in shock, speechless, and Gene did not yet seem capable to speak.

"When I first saw you, I could not help but be reminded of my daughter." She drew in a shuddering breath. "I'm sorry. It is not possible. It is surely only a coincidence."

"Shibuya Harumi," Gene finally said quietly, his eyes gazing steadily at the floor. "Our mother died shortly after giving birth to us. Following the Otaki earthquake of 1984." He lifted his eyes to hers. "Your daughter," he finished.

"No," the woman said, trembling. "That's impossible. They would have told me if she had delivered." She looked between them once more and sighed, shaking her head. "It's absurd. It is certainly not possible."

"Um," Mai started, lifting her hand as if to apologize for her intrusion. "I noticed we passed a cafe on our way here. Would you allow us to treat you to something to drink, Shibuya-san?"

The woman seemed to have forgotten that Mai was there. "I suppose... I suppose that would be all right," she acquiesced.

"Shibuya-san?" The shopkeeper questioned, but the woman had left without picking up her order, following the teenagers outside.

...

"It's not possible," Mitsuki repeated. The four were seated at a small table near the shop window and had already ordered tea. Her eyes seemed to be constantly moving between the twins, once again completely ignoring Mai. "It's true that my daughter had been expecting, but when I returned to Japan to claim Harumi I heard nothing about her having delivered before her death. And it's true that her due date would have been close to the time that she died. She told me when I spoke her a few months before, when I told her to break it off with that foolish American..." Her gaze swung and locked onto Gene's. "What did you say your name was?"

"Shibuya Ichirou," Gene said simply.

The woman's lips tightened. "I suppose it would make sense to name her sons after the two most important men in her life." She sighed and rested her head in her hands. "Impossible," she reiterated.

The waitress arrived with their order, giving them a strange look to see the elderly woman in such an anxious state. Naru took the tea and waved her away. "Here's your tea," he said, passing it toward her. "I'm... very sorry this has been such a shock."

She looked up, accepting the teacup. "Assuming... you aren't lying," she started dubiously, "and you are in fact my daughter's children... what do you want?" She let out a bitter chuckle. "If it's money you're after, it's gone. I have nothing to give you."

"We only came here because we wanted to know what happened," Gene said quietly, "nothing else." He looked at his brother, who gave a short nod. Gene continued, reaching into his pocket to retrieve several pieces of folded paper, which he began to unfold. "We were born on September 19th, 1984, at the Kiso Hospital. As we understand it, the Kiso Hospital was under a lot of stress after the earthquake so we were transferred to a hospital in Takayama City after our mother passed away."

"And the hospital had no record of Harumi's family?" Mitsuki asked, frowning, lifting her tea to take a sip for the first time. Gene, likewise, had not drank, where Naru's tea was half gone and Mai held hers in her fingers, sipping slowly.

"We believe not. Our birth records and our mother's death certificate say nothing to indicate the fact." He passed the papers toward her, copies of their birth certificates. "I hope this will assure you that we are not lying, Shibuya-san. And I hope you will believe me when I say that we did not seek you out because we sought anything material from you."

Her fingers were trembling as she looked at the papers. "Yes," she whispered, her voice hoarse. "I suppose this... this would put truth behind your words."

Naru set his teacup, now empty, on the table. "May I ask of your husband, Shibuya Kazuya?"

"He passed a long time ago. When Harumi was still in school."

"You said, Shibuya-san, that you returned to Japan to claim her remains... you were out of the country at the time?"

"Yes," she said, nodding. "My parents lived overseas at the time. I was visiting them." The twins gazed at her expectantly, and she continued, albeit hesitantly. "In France. My father was a scientist and had taken a visiting position at a university. They have both since passed on; in the last ten years."

"Your father was a scientist?" Naru inquired.

"Yes. And a doctor. He studied cardiac physiology."

"And your mother?"

Mitsuki's lips thinned slightly in a strained smile. "My mother spent her time managing household affairs, nothing more."

"I see." There was a brief awkward silence. "Was it true that you and Harumi were not very close?"

Mitsuki stiffened. "Who said such a thing?"

"It was the impression Lukas Nilson, Ichirou's father, had."

"Oh," she said, startled. "I never did meet Ichirou," she said, her face drooping with regret. "From the circumstances, I can see how one might think that." She sighed heavily. "I was furious with Harumi for letting herself become pregnant." She smiled sadly, bitterly. "Of course I regret that now, regret it deeply. I should not have been so angry."

"You only wanted the best for your daughter." Gene said quietly. "No one can fault you for that."

"Yes." She sighed and set the papers down on the table, sliding them back toward Gene. "How did you ever find me, having only my name to go on? Surely you did not seek out every Shibuya in Nagano prefecture."

The twins exchanged glances. "Do you believe in premonitions, Shibuya-san?" Gene asked tentatively.

"No," Mitsuki said. "But Harumi lived her life believing in things like that. She relied on good luck charms and she always placed too much meaning on her dreams." She frowned, looking at her tea cup and missing the curious glances the teenagers in front of her exchanged. "She was so certain that nothing could go wrong as long as she was with the man she loved." She shook her head disapprovingly. "And all that did was get her killed."

"But she was very happy with him," Gene said quietly.

"Maybe," Mitsuki said, exhaling another deep sigh. "Little consolation for those of us left behind."

Naru leaned back in his chair, frowning. "I can't say we share the sentiment. After all, we were born out of their love."

She sighed again and shook her head, gazing at the brothers with curiosity. "I suppose. What's done is done, after all. I may wish that my only child hadn't died, but my regret can't bring Harumi back, and holding onto such a feeling certainly..." Her words trailed off and she gazed at them in silence. A small smile lifted her lips, her face lightening as she moved her eyes between the twins. "At least now I know what happened. I am glad to know she did not die in vain. If she was anything like her own mother... Certainly she would have been content to give her life for her children, knowing that they would live on."

Both Mitsuki and Mai jumped when there was a sudden knock on the glass, and four heads turned to see the source of the sound. A young girl stood on the other side, bright-eyed and rosy cheeks under a thick wool hat, grinning at them. One hand waved merrily, the other held a black case at her side. An instrument, Gene realized: either a flute or a clarinet.

"Ah, excuse me," Mitsuki said, rising gingerly to her feet. The girl had dashed from the window toward the shop door, pulling it open. Mai, Naru and Gene watched as their grandmother met her, bending slightly to greet her.

"Granny Mitsuki, hello! I saw you from the street so..."

"Quite all right, Fuuka-chan. Done with your lessons all ready?"

"Yeah! Sensei gave me some new music. I want to practice it when I get home." Her eyes moved curiously toward the twins. "Granny Mitsuki, what are you doing here? Who're they?" She asked, jabbing her mittened thumb toward the table.

The woman smiled kindly. "I've just stopped for a cup of tea. I've just finished."

"Will you walk home with me?"

"Yes. Please wait just a moment while I get my coat."

Mitsuki returned to the table, the girl lagging behind her shyly by several steps. "I'm sorry, but I must take my leave."

Naru rose to his feet smoothly. "I apologize we've kept you so long. Your Granddaughter?"

"By marriage," Mitsuki said, a small smile lifting her lips as the girl clasped her arm, standing partially behind her.

"Thank you for allowing us to inconvenience you," Gene said as he rose to his feet, sensing that Mitsuki was uncomfortable and at a loss of how to act around them. "We are grateful for what you've told us."

The woman gazed at him, mystified. "I should thank you," she finally said, clearing her throat slightly as took her coat. "Thank you for... for seeking me out. For telling me the truth of what became of my daughter." The girl looked up at her grandmother questioningly and tugged on her arm. Bowing, the woman turned and left with her granddaughter.

The three stood in silence as the shop door closed, watching as the young girl became animated as she spoke with her grandmother, hurrying down the street.

"Is it okay?" Mai finally ventured. "Will you ever see her again?"

"No," Gene said, exhaling deeply and a smile crossing his lips. "This was enough, wasn't it?"

Naru nodded wordlessly, watching his brother carefully.

Gene turned toward them, a smile crossing his lips. Suddenly, he remembered his dream of their daughter, and he grinned widely.

"Gene?" Mai questioned.

"I suppose I've realized," he sighed heavily, a smile growing on his face, "that the future is much more important to me than the past." He put his hands on each Mai's and Naru's shoulders. "It's getting late. Let's go back to Tokyo, shall we?"

"Yes," Naru agreed, smiling and picking up his coat. "Let's go back to Tokyo."

...

They took the first train from Omachi back to Nagano and once there they waited for the train that would take them back to Tokyo. Mai was looking over an assignment and Gene was reading over her shoulder, but Naru could see they were both lifeless and exhausted. It had been a long day—they would probably both sleep on the train for the duration of the trip. He closed his eyes, imagining how nice it would be to have a cup of hot tea, settling back into a comfortable chair after a hot bath. When they returned to Tokyo, back at the hotel, perhaps that is just what he would do. Though—dinner first, Gene would insist. Some hot soup sounded appropriate.

He was pulled from his reverie when Mai suddenly jumped, her phone ringing in her pocket. Pulling it out with a frown, she flipped it open to her ear. "Hello?" She began tentatively.

Naru watched as her face paled. "Um," she said hoarsely, her voice dropping close to a whisper. "I went to.. Nagano... with some friends..." She then began to nod, making soft affirmative sounds. "Yes, yes. I understand. I... will. I'll be there as soon as I return."

"What is it?" Naru asked as her hands dropped to her lap, the phone held tightly between them.

"Mai?" Gene questioned when she did not immediately answer.

"There was a fire," she began, her voice wavering. "At my apartment building." She raised her eyes to Naru's and he took her shaking hands with his own, squeezing them tightly when he saw the tears gather in her eyes. "This... didn't happen before. What did I do?"

...

* * *

...

A/N: Many thanks to everyone who has encouraged me to update. I am immensely grateful for your kind words! And yes, I would say they do make a difference and help bring the next update faster, helping me from getting oh-so-easily distracted. :)

So as always, thank you for reading! Many many thanks for your patience and sticking with me after all this time. I'd be very happy to know what you thought, so please leave a review or drop me a note. All feedback is always appreciated! Until next time!


	8. Part VIII

_**Part VIII**_

It had been a tense train ride back to Tokyo. Naru knew that Mai was exhausted and needed to sleep but instead she stared out the window, her eyebrows knitted together and her hands restless in her lap. Gene was likewise quiet, a serious expression on his face as his eyes moved between Mai and his own folded, anxious hands. It had a long time since Naru had been with either of the two with such a long period of silence. It had also been a long time since he had been uncomfortable in such a silence and found himself wishing for someone to break it.

After they had arrived and disembarked, the three left the train platform and ventured into the subway station. Naru walked close behind her, wishing he could be at her side to show his support—but in the dense crowds, it was all but impossible as they weaved their way through the all people. Mai paused to study the route map, turning to face them.

"I'm going to go to the agency office... I'm supposed to meet Ogasawara there." Mai said tentatively. "It's not close to my apartment... to your hotel. You don't have to come with me," she started, but the expressions on his and Gene's faces were enough for her to quiet. "I mean," she started again lamely and then just shook her head. "I would like it if you came with me, actually," she admitted quietly.

"That's more like it," Gene muttered. "So where is the office you need to go visit, anyway?"

"This way," Mai said, turning her head and gesturing for them to follow her. "It's not very far, actually, only a couple of stops on the Chiyoda Line."

The agency was a small office located in a narrow building on a busy street. Naru took Mai's bag from her wordlessly, slinging it over his shoulder and placing his hand on hers gently. Mai took a deep breath and pushed open the door with a nod, the twins close behind her.

The receptionist at the agency was a young woman, who, seated at the front desk with her chin resting in her hand, was obviously trying very hard not to be sleepy. Naru recognized the look of strained half-lidded eyes immediately as it was something he'd seen Mai do countless times in the past. She did not hear them enter, but as they stepped up to the desk she jumped and her eyes popped open. She seemed quite taken aback by the presence of the twins. When her eyes fell on Naru, moving quickly to Gene, her eyes widened further and she leapt to her feet. "How can I help you?" She said breathlessly, in her haste knocking over a cup of pencils, scattering them across the floor.

"I'm here to see Ogasawara-san," Mai said, her voice dull and exhausted. "My name is Taniyama."

The woman nodded quickly, bowing slightly, face flushed with embarrassment. "She's expecting you. I'll let her know you're here," she said, her eyes sliding backwards to eye the twins as she hurried away down the hall, leaving the three in the quiet entryway.

Gene stooped and began to gather the pencils, filling the cup and righting it on the reception desk. When the receptionist returned there was a woman following her, a woman with a frown on her face and eyes narrowed behind thin-rimmed glasses.

"Taniyama-san," Ogasawara said curtly; Naru noticed his brother stiffen slightly at his side. "Come with me." The twins moved forward to follow her but Ogasawara stopped and frowned at them.

"Your friends, I presume?" She said, a sneer forming on her lips. "They'll have to wait here."

Gene opened his mouth to object but Mai shook her head at him. _Don't_, she mouthed. With a hesitating look over her shoulder to the brothers, she followed the woman down the hall and disappeared around a corner.

"Sorry," the receptionist said with a nervous giggle. "Ogasawara isn't usually so rude. She's been under a lot of stress lately, and now with that apartment fire..."

"What was the cause of it? The fire?" Naru pressed when the woman didn't answer him immediately.

"Oh... you know, I probably shouldn't say anything, because it's still under investigation, but I think I heard them say it was some old electrical wires." She lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Actually, I think your friend Taniyama-san probably got off really lucky. I heard that some of the apartments were completely destroyed, but it sounds like hers wasn't affected." At that, the twins exchanged glances. "Anyway, that's just what I heard. I couldn't say for sure." She hummed to herself a little and sat back down at her desk. "Sorry there isn't any space here for you to wait. If you guys want, you can wait in the cafe next door. I think there's loads of paperwork, so it'll probably be a while."

"Let's go," Gene said quickly, his hand on his brother's shoulder and guiding him away. "Thank you for your help," he said, smiling to the receptionist and hurried them out of the office. "You look like you could use a cup of tea," he justified quickly, when his brother turned accusing eyes on him.

"I suppose you're right," Naru admitted. He exhaled deeply and pressed his fingers to his forehead, closing his eyes and trying, but failing, to ease his frown. "Sorry. I just feel so _bloody _helpless," he muttered. "What good am I, a sixteen year old boy? I may be her boyfriend but I can't take care of her. I can't really do anything for her at all. Not as a minor."

"That's not true at all," Gene said, his voice sullen. He pushed open the door to the cafe and led the way inside.

Naru exhaled heavily. "Maybe," he said dubiously. He released another short sigh, his eyes briefly gazing over the menu before stepping up to the counter to order. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

...

The twins were waiting for her by the receptionist's desk when she returned from the back office, a steaming to-go cup in Naru's hand. "For you," he said simply, passing it to her, and she smiled as the warmth from the tea spread through her fingers. The receptionist watched them leave, an envious look plain on her face.

"Thank you," Mai said, following the twins outside. It was a breezy evening but the air contained a warmth that had been missing only several days before. Lifting her nose to gaze at the darkening sky, Mai laughed softly, though the sound was forced. "It feels like spring, doesn't it? It was so cold in Nagano. But the weather's warm in Tokyo in comparison."

"What did Ogasawara say?" Naru asked quietly.

"Well," Mai sighed and a small smile twitched the corners of her lips even as tears gathered in her eyes. "I can't go back to my apartment. I can stay with you tonight but Ogasawara wants me to come back tomorrow with an adult, to meet with a police officer and the building management to gather some things from the apartment. She said," Mai sighed again as she spoke, "they don't know how long it will be before we can move back in. My apartment wasn't actually affected by the fire, but there was some structural damage to the building so they're not letting any of the tenants stay there." She shook her head. "The _adult_ I bring tomorrow, Ogasawara wants to talk to them about what to do about all of this." Mai sniffed slightly, lowering her gaze to the cup in her hands. "I told her I would just move out. That I could gather all of my things and find a new place to live, but Ogasawara didn't listen to me."

Naru and Gene moved simultaneously, the first putting his hand on the small of her back and the latter's hand on her shoulder.

"I mean, that's what I should do, right? Better to start over right away than to prolong the uncertainty. Even if it means depleting my parents' bank account."

"Money isn't an issue," Naru said shortly. Mai smiled again, her eyes watery.

"I knew you would say that." She exhaled and the tears in her eyes finally slipped down her cheeks. "On the bright side," she laughed sadly. "I don't think I have to go to school tomorrow."

...

The three ate dinner at the hotel and returned to their room, Mai promptly taking off her shoes and crawling into bed. The twins did not say anything to stop her and she was fast asleep within minutes.

Gene sighed and settled into a chair while Naru drew the curtains and turned on the lamp. Soon his brother joined him, sitting down next to him.

"You're nervous." Gene finally said, tired with waiting for his brother to speak.

"I feel… unsettled," Naru agreed. He rubbed his fingers over his forehead. "Perhaps I have been shortsighted." Gene watched him, waiting for him to continue.

"Because the fire was started by faulty or old electrical wiring, and because it did not affect Mai's apartment… I would like to think that we didn't cause it. But since it didn't happen last time around, the only logical reasoning to explain it is that it is directly linked to our actions."

"The butterfly effect, right?" Gene sighed. "_A butterfly in Brazil causes a tornado in Texas_. Though, you can look at it the other way, too. Maybe it's something we did. Or maybe it's something we _didn't _do. Maybe last time Mai did something to prevent it, without even knowing." His lips quirked a small smile. "Maybe this time, not being home on a Saturday night, she didn't need to make her instant ramen. Or perhaps she squished a bug."

"Gene, be serious," Naru sighed.

"I _am _being serious." Gene leaned forward and touched his index finger to his twin's forehead rather pointedly. "There's no way to know, Noll, and there's nothing we can do about it so you should just stop thinking about it."

"You know I can't."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I won't try to make you." Gene gazed into his brother's eyes seriously. "You called yourself her boyfriend."

Naru blinked. "What?"

"Earlier, when we went to the cafe. You called yourself her boyfriend." Gene grinned at him. "It took you all this time to finally admit it."

"Did I?" Naru finally let his lips twitch in a small grin, some of the tension easing from his face. "How careless to let it slip."

"A slip, then, is it?" Gene laughed. "What would Mai say if she heard you say that?"

Naru's phone suddenly rang in his pocket, a surprised look crossing his face as he pulled out the mobile. Quickly he pressed it to his ear, his eyes turning toward where Mai lay sleeping. "Hello," he said, his voice hushed and relief visible in his eyes when he saw it had not awoken her.

"I'm boarding a plane for Tokyo in half an hour," a somewhat tired but very familiar voice said. "I should arrive in the morning."

A small smile lifted his lips. "Impeccable timing, Lin."

"Sorry for not contacting you earlier," Lin apologized. "It's been a little busy here."

"Martin and Luella aren't sending you to retrieve us, then?" Naru asked dryly.

He could hear the wry smile in his voice. "Quite the contrary. Though Luella was a little aggravated that you chose to depart so suddenly. She'd almost thought you'd run away from home."

Naru bit his lip. "Sorry about that."

"I told her I'd sent one of my shiki to follow you.."

"You're lucky that Luella would never even _consider _that you might lie to her."

"Be as it may. I was able to smooth things over by telling her you were concerned about Gene's safety. That you'd seen something through your psychic connection that indicated he needed you by his side immediately. After that, you can imagine Luella was quite understanding. Though hurt, perhaps, that you still won't ask her for assistance."

"That time hasn't come yet." Naru said regretfully.

"No, but it will." Lin said. "But anway. I told you before that both Martin and Luella were excited about your idea for a satellite office in Tokyo. Well—Luella eventually agreed. Martin was ecstatic. They want to come to Japan sometime after you've settled, to see your progress. They'll give you some time, though. They trust you two together, you and Gene."

"Not enough not to send you after us, of course."

"Well... that's another story." Naru could hear the edge in Lin's voice that indicated he was uncomfortable with what he was about to say. "I'm sorry, Naru, but in the eyes of the world you're still only sixteen."

"Much to my aggravation," Naru said, a note of displeasure entering his voice. "Like it or not, I'll just have to wait for the time to pass."

"Most people would be grateful to be returned to their youth." Lin said dryly.

"Are you?" Naru retorted.

Lin hesitated. "Point taken. I'm sorry, Naru, but unless you feel like trying to move us through time again—which I hope you do not—this is where we are."

"Yes." Naru sighed. "I am not... displeased," he finally said, noticing that Gene was watching him with interest. "Not displeased to be here. Quite the contrary. However I know my own capacities and it is immensely frustrating that others cannot."

Gene snorted, hiding his grin behind his hand. Naru shot him an annoyed look. "What? It's the truth."

"You're too proud, Noll."

Naru frowned when he heard Lin chuckle into the receiver but the man recovered himself quickly. "Onto a serious subject, I heard from my shiki that there was a fire at Mai's apartment."

Naru's face became solemn with the shift in topic. Even the silly grin slipped from Gene's face as he sensed what the man said on the other end of the phone. "Yes," Naru said, exhaling and rubbing his hand over his eyes.

"You weren't there, I presume?"

"No. It happened while we went to Nagano, this weekend."

"Is she...?"

"She's staying with us for the time being. As far as we know her apartment wasn't damaged but the building's been condemned."

"What is Mai going to do?"

"Find a new apartment, I suppose. But she needs an adult escort to agree to the termination of her lease."

"Ah," Lin said, knowingly.

"Exactly."

"Even if I'm not her legal guardian?"

"It seems so. Mai doesn't _have_ a legal guardian and the woman in charge of the social services agency doesn't want to listen to anything Mai says. It seems the agency doesn't want to let minors make decisions on their own. That you're over twenty should be enough reason for them to listen to you. And besides, Mai can't stay in a hotel forever. I don't think the agency is offering alternative housing."

"And neither can you," Lin pointed out. "The first point of business upon my arrival is to find us a suitable apartment. But we can discuss the details later. I don't have much time to talk now."

"Have they called your boarding group?" Naru asked, sounding amused.

"Not quite, but soon. Let me speak to Gene before I go, please."

Naru wordlessly passed the phone to his brother. "Coming to join us in Japan, then, Lin?" Gene said with a grin.

"I am," he replied. "Did you find the answers you were searching for, Gene?"

Gene's smile softened. "I did. We met our maternal grandmother today. I know we'll never see each other again but I'm content to learn that she didn't even know of our existence before today. She never thought we'd been born. I suppose I'm satisfied, too, to have told her the truth about what became of her daughter's pregnancy."

"She doesn't want to see you again?"

"She has a new family, a different life. Just having the same blood in our veins isn't enough of a reason to stay in contact, I realized. And it seemed apparent to me that Harumi's death really took a toll on her. We take after our mother. Even seeing us on the street she was unsettled by our likeness. I think she'll be happier if we don't continually remind her of what she lost."

"Seems rather noble of you," Lin remarked.

Gene shook his head. "Not at all. I realized that I've been looking for answers, not for a family. To know is enough for me. And Noll, he didn't want a family either.. well, you knew that already."

"You spoke with your father's parents, also.. two days ago?"

"Yes. I think we'll meet, eventually. They wanted to see us, maybe on one of their trips to Britain. I need to write them a letter... and explain all this to Martin and Luella."

"I know they'll support you wholeheartedly." Lin said seriously. "Oh, and one more thing... you don't have any reservations regarding your extended stay in Japan?"

"None whatsoever," Gene confirmed.

He could hear the twitch of a smile. "That's good. I'm trusting you to keep those two out of trouble, Gene."

"Shouldn't it be the other way around?" Gene asked dryly.

"You remember that Mai has a remarkable propensity to attract trouble. Or to fall into it, however you choose to look at it. No doubt it was the most obvious during our stay in Japan, when you and Mai first met. Perhaps it is just her nature not to worry about herself. That could explain some of it. But if there is even the slightest threat, Naru will single-mindedly try to protect her, which can no doubt put him in harm's way as well. Contrary to his nature, perhaps... but we've seen the evidence of it before. I feel reassured, knowing you're there."

Gene bit his lip, thinking about the fire. His eyes traveled toward the sleeping girl and then to his brother. His gaze softened as he saw his brother's own private gaze, captivated by the girl on the bed. The look upon his face was a contradiction; drawn and tired, but also peaceful and content. "You don't have to worry, Lin," he said softly. "The three of us will always look out for each other." A sly grin suddenly formed on his face. "Lin, you call him Naru, too."

He could imagine the man's face blanch. "A bad habit from Mai," he admitted. "I usually call him Noll in front of your parents. Though I admit I slipped this morning. Thank goodness no one noticed the slight deviation in pronunciation."

"Anyone else call him Naru?" His brother twitched slightly at the mention of his name again, but he didn't turn his gaze to his twin.

"Madoka, but only when she was trying to get a rise out of him. You know how she likes to tease."

Gene laughed. "Maybe I should call him Naru, too." His brother shot him a dark look. "Well, maybe not. Have a good trip, Lin."

"Goodnight, Gene."

"Goodnight. Er, good morning. Whatever—you know."

"Good bye."

...

It was deep in the night when Gene awoke. The room was pitch black and though he could not see anything, he could hear the sound of quiet, muffled sobs. The bed shifted beneath him and he realized it was the movements of his brother that had awoken him, not the sound from the other bed. He listened, eyes open and alert in the darkness, to his brother quietly climb into the other bed and he imagined him curling his body comfortingly around the crying girl.

"_Shh_," he heard a quiet voice, almost so quiet he could not hear it. "_It's going to be okay, Mai._"

Gene found that there was wetness around his own eyes and so he closed them, his body completely still so as not to betray his consciousness. It was long after her sobs had quieted and the breathing of the two was even and deep that he was finally able to fall asleep again.

...

She was standing at the top of a hill, overlooking a field of flowers. Different rows of color stretched before her, nature formed in unnatural straight lines of purple, white, yellow, magenta. It looked like a postcard from Hokkaido's flower fields, fields she had seen in pictures and on TV but never witnessed in real life.

He was standing a short distance behind her, walking toward her slowly. She could feel his presence before he spoke.

"How are you feeling?" Gene asked.

"Better," Mai started. She lifted her face toward the pale blue sky, closing her eyes and inhaling deeply. "I feel calm now. Things'll be okay."

"Yes," he agreed.

She turned her head, her eyes open and softening as she gazed at him. "Have you been in my dreams before?"

"This time, you mean?"

She nodded.

"Just once," he admitted. "It was right after we met. I guess I was curious. I thought maybe you were different." He smiled. "I was right, wasn't I?"

She averted her gaze. "It's just like before, isn't it?" she finally said, smiling sadly. She looked up at him quickly, meeting his dark blue eyes. "I'm glad I don't think you're your brother this time."

He smiled at her and reached forward, taking her hand. "Me too, Mai. Me too."

...

Mai slept late the following morning, and when she finally woke, was surprised to see Gene sitting at the table, reading and munching on some toast. As she looked at him she realized he had changed. There was something in his eyes that hadn't been there the day previous: he seemed older, somehow, and wiser. With a start she realized he looked even more like his brother. There was a deeper similarity that hadn't been there previously, even with their identical likeness.

Gene turned his head to meet her gaze, a lopsided grin forming on his face. "Rise and shine, sleepyhead," he said in a cheerful sing-song tone, his voice pushing from her mind her earlier musings.

Turning her eyes to the digital clock next to the bed on the nightstand, she frowned, processing the current time and trying to recall exactly when she had gone to sleep the night before. "You didn't wake me?"

He shrugged. "Noll said we should let you sleep. You seemed really exhausted, so..."

She looked around the room, smoothing her hair. "Where is he?"

"Went to meet Lin at the airport."

"Oh, I see... Wait, Lin? He's here in Japan?"

Gene grinned. "Well, not yet." He checked his watch. "I think his flight is due to land in half an hour." Watching her face, he laughed. "I guess he's been busy, making arrangements for us here, so he hasn't been in contact much. I was a little surprised, too."

Mai's lips quirked in a grin. "Naru wasn't?"

"No, but you know him. Hard to tell when he _is_ surprised. And he's even worse, now, that we're older."

She noticed he said "we" when a day ago he might have said "he", but the thoughts slipped from her mind when her eyes landed on the breakfast laid out on the table. She scooted off the bed and joined him at the table, mouth watering as looked over the toast, fruit, and a steaming pot of tea. "May I?"

"Oh, for god's sake, Mai, you don't need to ask." Gene pushed a plate toward her and passed her a jar of jam. "Here, try the strawberry preserves, they're divine."

Mai picked up a piece of toast, surprise showing on her face as her fingertips touched the bread: it was still warm.

"Had it delivered just ten minutes before you woke up." He smiled and winked at her. "I had a feeling it would be the right time."

...

Mai and Gene were waiting in the hotel lobby when Naru and Lin arrived. Mai wordlessly walked past Naru as Lin set his luggage down and she embraced the tall Chinese man briefly, whispering something into his ear.

Gene, who was watching with an interested and bemused look upon his face, noticed that Lin stiffened—but only slightly—and did not pull away, as the man would have done if it had been anyone else. His eyes were held by the pair even as he turned his head toward Naru when his brother addressed him. "Did you see us coming from the room?" Naru asked.

"No," Gene said. "Five minutes ago we were watching the telly. Then all of a sudden Mai said we should come down here. That's all."

Mai had stepped away from Lin and had taken the handle of his rolling suitcase, walking toward the twins. Her smile broadened when Naru met her gaze and her eyes began to twinkle. "Well, it must be about lunchtime, right?"

...

The four were seated near the windows of a small Western-style restaurant, the bright sunlight streaming onto their table. They had eaten a light lunch and upon Naru's insistence, had ordered a pot of tea and a small carafe of coffee. Lin lifted his teacup and drank silently, the three adolescents waiting for him to speak. When he lowered the cup he began.

"I told Martin and Luella about your plan to open an office in Japan. Well—I didn't put it quite like that. More that you had the _idea_ and wanted to see if it was possible. We all agreed that I should come and help with the minor details."

"They didn't protest?" Gene asked incredulously, stirring cream into his coffee.

"As you can imagine, Martin was quite excited about the prospect. Luella perhaps had more reservations, however, she agreed." Lin smiled slightly, fingering the handle of his teacup gently. "She thought it would be a great experience for you." He turned his head toward Naru. "I mentioned to Naru on our drive from the airport. Considering your university studies, she actually suggested that you should consider enrolling at Tokyo University."

Mai's eyes widened but remained silent. Gene, on the other hand, let out a sound of disbelief, a wide grin spreading on his face. "She did?"

"It's almost hard to believe. Doesn't seem like her, does it." Naru shook his head. "But even as much as they trust our maturity, they will no doubt be anxious to visit and see how we're faring."

A sly grin quirked Gene's lips. "How long should we give them, before Luella insists on checking in on us?"

"No more than a month," Naru said blandly. He paused. "But it'll be after the first case, the case at Mai's school. That's good."

"How long will it take to have SPR completely set up?" Mai asked quietly.

Naru shook his head. "Certainly not longer than last time. I called the realtor on the way here. He said he can show us the office space this afternoon. We can sign the lease today." He nodded toward his twin. "I thought we could meet him there while Lin accompanies Mai. We can reconvene afterwards."

"What time are you meeting Ogasawara?" Gene asked Mai.

Mai's face blanched and her eyes flicked toward a clock on the wall. "About an hour."

Lin set his empty teacup on the table. "So we should go soon."

They left the restaurant and stood to part, the twins ready to take a train to Shibuya. Lin and Mai, on the other hand, would drive the rental car to meet with Ogasawara. Mai stepped closer toward Naru, reaching toward him suddenly and tugging on his sleeve. He immediately slowed his gait, turning toward her. He could see the anxiety plain on her face, her brown eyes filled with worry as she gazed up at his.

"You don't need to worry, Mai."

She dipped her chin. "I know."

Naru held her gaze. "And you'll be fine with Lin. If anyone can handle Ogasawara, it's him. You know Gene and I. We'd never be able to keep our tempers."

Mai nodded, exhaling and a small grin twitched her lips. "I know." She relaxed her face and smiled at him. "Thank you. We'll meet up afterwards, right?"

He nodded. "I want you to be there when we sign for the SPR office." A sardonic smile lifted his lips. "You'll have to be. Lin will have to sign, being the only adult among us."

She giggled. "Of course."

"So don't take too long."

"Definitely won't." She took his hand and squeezed it slightly before hurrying over toward Lin, the usual spring returned to her step. "Then we'll be off!"

...

The meeting with Ogasawara and Lin passed by as if a blur. Mai's thoughts kept wandering to the twins, wondering what their reactions were as they saw the office. Naru, returning to a familiar place from many years ago; and Gene, visiting for the first time a place he'd already seen in her memories. Thinking of the office brought back her memories again, memories that evoked powerful emotions and caused her mind to wander. Not that Ogasawara seemed to notice if she was distant, the woman's attention was focused fully on Lin and ignored Mai throughout their meeting. Lin signed the forms and listened with a strained smile as Ogasawara lectured them on the habits of irresponsible teenagers, stating several times that she did not approve of Mai simply moving into a new apartment on her own. When she was finally satisfied that she had done her duty, she waved them away and tersely informed them someone would be waiting for them at Mai's apartment. They would have one hour for Mai to gather her things.

"Not giving you a lot of time, are they," Lin remarked as they returned to the car. His voice was calm but Mai had known him long enough to know he was irritated.

"Thank you... for everything," Mai said, exhaling deeply as she pulled the seatbelt across her body, buckling it and turning her face toward the tall man. He had turned the key in the ignition and the car started promptly. "Thank you... really, thank you, Lin."

"Of course," he said simply. He paused, eyes flicking between the mirrors as he maneuvered the car into the street traffic. "I imagine you'll have to go back to school tomorrow."

"Probably," Mai said, though her voice was dubious.

"As you know, my next task is to find an apartment for Gene, Naru and I to live in." Lin said, and Mai nodded in agreement.

"I guess me too, now, huh..."

"Would you like to live with us?" Lin asked quietly, his gaze fixed on the road ahead. "We could find a large apartment. And you wouldn't have to worry about rent expenses at all."

Mai considered his offer in silence. "No," she finally said. "I don't think I want to. If that's okay."

"Of course," Lin said. "It's probably for the best. Actually, Naru said the same thing but he wanted you to make the decision."

Mai's lips deepened into a slight frown as she thought. "I would like to live _close_ to you. I guess that's a given. But I don't think a shared space is necessarily a good idea. And besides, how would you explain that to Martin and Luella?"

Lin thought before he spoke. "Naru will have to tell them about you eventually. He can't keep such a thing a secret."

"No," Mai agreed slowly, even though she couldn't imagine how they could even begin to explain it. She sighed, and suddenly a barrage of guilt washed over her. Her shoulders slumped and tears welled in her eyes.

Lin recognized the shift in her mood immediately. "It's not your fault, you know," he stated matter-of-factly.

"I know." Mai said, covering her face, afraid to cry in front of the man. "I'm sorry. It's just... the fire. And everything. I know it's not my fault. But... but..." She sighed and released a shuddering sob. "This wasn't supposed to happen," Mai whispered. "Naru was laughing, Lin, _laughing _with Gene yesterday in a way I'd never seen before. I thought I'd broken him out of his shell, after all that time, but I realized... I hadn't even come close. Only Gene could make him laugh like that. This was his chance to live it all over again, to be truly happy, and now..." She sighed and covered her face with her hands once again. "I messed it up again."

Lin said nothing for some time. When he did speak he chose his words slowly and carefully. "While it's true the brothers have an incredible bond that cannot be easily rivaled, to say that Naru's happiness depends entirely on Gene—or vice versa, for that matter—is short sighted and childish. I hope you don't really believe that."

"No," Mai muttered reluctantly.

"Good." Lin exhaled and leaned back in his seat.

Mai was quiet for the rest of the drive as she composed herself. "Sorry," she apologized. "I overreacted."

Lin parked the car and shook his head. "It's an incredibly difficult place to be in, Mai, for anyone. I understand that you're frustrated and upset. Who wouldn't be in your situation?" He smiled ever so slightly. "We'd better hurry. Only an hour, right?"

Mai made a face. "I really don't have that much stuff, Lin. If we're quick it'll only take half."

...

Under the supervision of the landlord of the building and a policeman, Lin and Mai entered the building. While the damage on one half of the building was obviously severe, as they climbed the dim stairs to Mai's second story room, other than the faint smell of smoke there was no evidence of the fire at all. Lin collected all of Mai's kitchen items into a box while she hurriedly threw her clothes into a suitcase and all but dumped the items from her bathroom shelves into a box. Lin carried her folded futon and blankets to the car while she gathered her various trinkets and collectibles she'd accrued over time, a smile lifting her lips as she lifted the plush lion from Gene. With the books from her shelves she was not as careful and was pleased with they fit entirely in one box.

"Is that everything?" Lin asked as he returned, gesturing to the remaining boxes that sat in a neat stack near the door. "What about the kotatsu?"

"That's it," Mai agreed. "The kotatsu isn't mine; it was in the apartment when I came here. So that's it."

Lin shook his head in disbelief. "I'll admit, I didn't believe you when you said it wouldn't take that long. I suppose I didn't remember how little luggage you had when you came to London."

They carried the last boxes and loaded them into the car, thanked and bade goodbye to the landlord. Once again Lin drove the route to where the future SPR office would be. Surprisingly, when they arrived there was a parking space available directly in front of the building. Mai, sensing a faint indication of supernatural activity at hand, shot a suspicious glance at Lin. The man merely shrugged, but a small smirk on his lips indicated that he had procured their good fortune with a touch of magic.

"Did you ever do that before, with Naru?" She queried.

"No." Lin smiled slightly. "He'd have called it a waste of energy and resources to ask such a trivial favor of my shiki. Whenever we had to load up early, we were leaving early in the morning anyway and parking was never a problem."

Mai laughed and hurried up the stairs. It felt strange to see the blank door, missing the painted letters _SPR_, and even moreso as she placed her hand on the door and pushed it open.

The office was silent as ever but eerily empty. There was no furniture nor any shelves lined with books along the walls, not even a rug to cover the floor. Lin stepped into the office behind her, closing the door loudly behind him and stepping into one of the side offices to greet the realtor. She walked across the room to the windows, running her hand along the sill as she contemplated the view outside. She was vaguely aware of Lin and Naru crossing into the other room with the realtor, now discussing the finer details of the lease. Gene had appeared from behind them, standing in the center of the room and gazing at the ceiling absently.

"What do you think?" The realtor's voice drifted over from the other room and Mai turned her head to watch the answer to the question.

Lin first looked to Naru, who, outside of the realtor's gaze, gave a short, affirmative nod.

"We'll take it," Lin replied.

...

Several hours later, the four were seated on the floor of the empty office, drinking tea and coffee out of paper take-away cups. Mai's boxes had been carried upstairs and were stacked against the wall neatly. Against the stark wall of the empty office, it seemed strange to see all her worldly belongings gathered together, and in such a small space. Certainly many of her classmates would have as many clothes to fill as many boxes she had in total.

Naru had unfolded a map of Tokyo and passed it toward Mai. "Where would you prefer to live, Mai?"

She turned her gaze away from the wall and looked down at the map. "Hmm..." She set her tea on the floor beside her and circled an area on the map with her finger. "Around here, I suppose. The trains would be really convenient both to get here and to school."

"Would you like us to look at any apartments, so we could recommend something to you?" Gene asked. "I mean, you're going to school tomorrow, so you won't be able to come with us, right?"

"Yeah, I should go to school..." Mai's voice trailed off and she considered for a moment before answering. "I guess it doesn't matter. If you know where you will live, I can just find any apartment nearby." She grinned. "As long as you there's something cheap enough around."

"Money isn't..." Naru started, but she waved him silent.

"I know, I know. But I couldn't live somewhere too nice on a clean conscience." She shrugged. "Besides, it has to be small! Look at how much stuff I have to fill it." She gestured at the boxes.

"We'll find something suitable to all of our needs, I'm sure," Lin said. He sounded tired. With a pang of guilt Mai realized he was probably jet-lagged and exhausted. He'd been completely silent since they'd returned to the office with their hot beverages—she hadn't drawn the connection until now.

"You're right," Mai said cheerfully, springing to her feet. "Let's find some dinner and get back to the hotel. I'm tired! It was a long day."

"You don't _look _tired," Gene laughed. "But, yeah, let's go."


	9. Part IX

_**Part IX**_

The school day couldn't go fast enough for Mai. She spent nearly all the day thinking about Naru, Gene and Lin, wondering if they had found an apartment they could agree on. With some amusement she imagined Naru and Lin arguing over minor details while Gene waited patiently. Certainly of the three, Naru would be the most difficult to please. Contrary to her beliefs, in actuality Lin was the easy-going one while the twins could not make up their minds.

As she gathered her books at the end of the day, Michiru skipped over toward her with a smile on her face. Mai's friends had already questioned her during lunch about her absence of the day prior. Rather than trying to think up a probable story, Mai decided to tell the truth—or at least part of it. There was a fire at my apartment, she'd said, so I had to move to a new one. She didn't elaborate on the fact that she'd stayed in a hotel (with some young _men_, no less) and would likely spend the night there again tonight, or that she didn't know where she would be living in the near future. But the girls didn't press her story, instead they whispered about the regular high-school gossip over their bento lunches: who liked who, who was actually dating, and whether or not the object of Yuriko's affections returned her feelings.

Michiru leaned against Mai's desk, a hopeful gleam in her eyes. "We haven't done it in a while, but do you want to hang out in the AV room? Keiko brought it up yesterday. She really wants to tell a story she heard recently."

Mai's initial reaction was to turn her down—after all, she had to meet up with Naru and company soon. But the hopeful look on Michiru's face garnered her enthusiasm and she found herself grinning. It had, after all, been years since she'd sat in the AV room telling ghost stories with her high school friends. "Sounds good! I can't stay too long—I need to catch up on homework from yesterday," she lied, "but I'd love to!"

...

Mai was able to excuse herself from the girls after about an hour after school. Hurrying down the hallway, she took her mobile from her pocket and sent a text message to Naru, letting him know she was done with school for the day. Pulling on her coat and stuffing several books into her school bag, her phone chimed with a message received. A smile grew on her face as she saw his return message. They were on their way.

The car pulled over to the side of the road and Mai opened the door, sliding into the backseat next to Naru. Lin was driving and Gene sat in the front seat.

"How was school?" Gene asked, swiveling his head around as he asked her.

"It was fine," Mai waved her hand, "but I want to know about _your_ day. How did it go? Did you find an apartment?"

Naru snorted slightly, his elbow against the car windowsill and his head resting against his fingertips. "The first apartment we went to was haunted."

"No, really?" Mai gasped, looking between the three. Lin scowled, an annoyed look crossing his features.

"Well, _haunted_ is a loaded word. There was a lingering spirit," Gene said sheepishly.

"What happened?" Mai asked. From the expression on Lin's face, she knew that even if he had not been driving, he would not have met her gaze. Something had happened and Lin did not want them to talk about it.

"Gene wanted the realtor to be distracted so he could do _jourei_," Naru elaborated dryly. "But he wasn't able to communicate that fact with us."

"How was I supposed to ask you to distract the realtor when the realtor was _right there_?"Gene protested.

"So what happened?"

Naru smirked. Mai could see that he was amused but to show it would be insulting to Lin, who was obviously not pleased. "Gene took it upon himself to ask one of Lin's shiki if he could distract the realtor."

"And?"

Naru bit back a grin even as Gene looked away, now looking embarrassed. "The shiki cast a spell. One that temporarily caused the realtor to become infatuated with Lin. So much so that he wouldn't notice anything else that happened to occur in the general vicinity."

"No!" Mai gasped, turning her gaze, now sympathetic, back to Lin. No wonder the man was in such a foul mood.

"And the realtor didn't take no for an answer. Of course, once the spell dissipated, he had no recollection of his propositions."

"It wasn't _that_ embarrassing..." Gene protested.

"Easy for you to say," Lin said stiffly.

"Did you exorcise the spirit?" Mai asked.

"Of course," Gene shook his head nonchalantly. "It was nothing, really.. Once I spoke with him, he was ready and willing to be on his way."

"We left as soon as the exorcism was over," Naru said, maneuvering the subject along. "Luckily, the third apartment we visited was agreeable," he continued. "We've already checked out of the hotel and took our luggage over. We'll go there right after we're finished here."

"We're not going there now?" Mai questioned, tilting her head to the side. "Where are we going?"

"We saw one last apartment that we thought you might like to look at. It's nearby the place we chose." Gene said, a huge grin spreading over his features. "You're going to love it," he assured her. "Noll thinks so too, right?" He swiveled his head, searching for his brother's approval.

"After we chose our apartment, we couldn't convince him not to keep looking," Naru said dryly.

"Well, the realtor was right there and we had the time, so why not?" Gene grinned at Mai. "I knew you wouldn't mind. Anyway, he said he'd meet us there so we could show it to you tonight."

Lin turned the car onto a small residential street, the older houses partially hidden behind hedges, stone walls and wooden gates. "Just down this street," he said quietly and Mai turned her gaze out the window.

"It looks like the neighborhood I grew up in," she murmured softly.

Gene saw his brother's eyes soften and he smirked silently.

After Lin had parked the car, Mai stepped out, turning to gaze at the building in front of which they had stopped. It was a traditional looking house with a tiled roof and sliding doors. Like most of the other houses on the street (albeit much smaller), there was a stone wall next to the road. Shrubs and small trees within the yard partially hid the small house and gave it a degree of privacy. Stepping next to one of the trees to examine it, Mai's mouth widened into an amazed smile.

"What is it?" Naru asked, bemused by her reaction.

"It's... a lilac tree," Mai said, smiling, pressing her lips together to keep her grin contained. "There was one in front of my last apartment, you know. They're beautiful, when they bloom... probably my favorite." She giggled and whispered to him, hoping no one else would hear. "And it was beneath the lilac tree that you first kissed me."

Naru looked away and Mai smiled, knowing it was his equivalent of a blush. That he could be embarrassed by such things always surprised her.

"My mother loved them, too," Mai reminisced with a smile, somewhat louder, as Gene and Lin were approaching. She turned her grin to Gene. "I love it already. It better not be too fancy."

"It looks bigger than it is," Naru reassured her with a dry smile.

"Noll, don't say that," Gene protested.

"It's true," his brother said with a slight snort.

It was small, as Naru had assured her, and the low ceilings made it seem even smaller. Lin had to stoop as he took off his shoes and stepped up from the landing and he was careful not to hit his head against any of the hanging lamps. The main room had a small kitchen tucked into one side, but there were shelves lining the walls for ample storage space. A sliding door led to a small hallway, where there was a small bathroom and an even smaller storage room with a washing machine. There was only one six-mat tatami room, but Mai knew it was plenty of space for her.

"I love it," she whispered, smiling at Naru.

The realtor had arrived. Lin was speaking with him and Gene's attention was diverted, examining the near-opaque paper of the sliding doors, so Naru took her hand and squeezed it gently. "It is very convenient. It's about five minutes to walk to our apartment."

"Then I'll live here," Mai agreed. "But you guys already knew that, right? The realtor's trying to get Lin to sign the lease already."

"Well, Gene was absolutely convinced."

"And you?"

"Well, of course I thought you'd like it." He smiled at her. "But I'm not going to decide for you."

Mai giggled and squeezed his hand back. "Oh, Naru," was all she said.

He led her forward, pushing her gently toward Lin and the realtor. He dropped her hand, only to place his gently at the small of her back. "Let's get this finalized, then."

...

After all the papers were signed and in order, the four bid goodnight to the realtor and brought in Mai's luggage, which had been stowed out of sight in the trunk of the car. They then went to the apartment that Lin, Naru and Gene would be sharing. While her new home was on the traditional end of architecture and design, this apartment was in a large modern building. They took the elevator to the fourth floor and Mai drew in her breath as she stepped into the main room, the tall ceiling accentuated by the huge windows on the opposite wall.

"What a view!" She breathed, stepping up to the glass. She hadn't paid much attention to the huge tree in front of the building as they entered, but she could see its upper branches now. With a smile she watched a bird flit into the tree, hop down a branch and then fly away again into the evening.

"It'll be beautiful in the summer, with all the green leaves," Mai said, turning her head toward Gene as he stepped forward to stand next to her. Naru joined her on her other side. "Don't you think? To be right above the leaves."

"Yes," Naru agreed pleasantly. "It will be beautiful."

Mai turned to see Lin gazing at the three of them, a bemused look on his face. She cocked her head to the side, wondering. "What is it?"

Lin shook his head slightly, a small smile hinted on his lips. "Nothing. Just... surprised, maybe. But then again, not really." He shook his head again. "We picked up dinner earlier. If you three don't mind, I'll start heating it up. It shouldn't take too long... just long enough for you to see the rest of the apartment."

...

After dinner, Mai made tea and the four sat around the table, sipping from their cups in silence. Mai leaned toward Naru to look at his watch, her face falling as she saw the time.

"I should go soon," she admitted. "It would be nice to unpack a little and I should probably do some homework."

Naru finished his tea, setting his cup down and rising to his feet. "I'll walk you," he announced.

"Noll, why don't you help Mai unpack and get settled?" Gene suggested. Seeing a surprised look cross Mai's face, he continued. "As long as you're not just trying to get away from us," he teased her with a wink.

"Of course not!" Mai flushed slightly. "But I know you probably have to get settled here, too..." her voice trailed off.

"There's not a whole lot to do," Lin said, rising and collecting the dishes. "Considering that we'll have to wait for some things to arrive from England. And I'm sure Gene wouldn't mind doing Naru's half tonight."

"Never," Gene beamed. His face quickly formed a self-satisfied grin. "And there's nothing wrong with Noll owing me a favor."

"Come on, Mai," Naru gestured for her to follow him toward the door. He smirked at her, stepping into his shoes. "If you're lucky, I'll help you do your homework as well."

"Yeah, right!" Mai snorted, slipping on her shoes and smiling as Naru helped her into her coat. "And if you did all my teachers would accuse me of cheating, if all of a sudden I had perfect scores!"

"Well, I'll make sure to ignore some mistakes," he told her seriously, wrapping a scarf around his neck and turning up the collar of his coat. He raised a hand in parting toward Gene and Lin. "I'll be back later, then."

...

"Honestly, it's not much," Mai admitted, unlocking the front door and stepping inside. She turned on the light and stepped up, leaving her shoes behind and shrugging off her coat.

"I can alphabetize your manga," he suggested wryly, and she giggled.

"Don't you dare waste your time with that," Mai warned. "Would you like another cup of tea?" She asked, meandering over to the kitchen and bending over a box. "The kettle should be in here..."

"If you don't mind."

"Of course not. Aha!" She stood up, kettle in hand. "Here it is."

Naru leaned against the wall, watching her with a soft gaze as she filled the kettle from the tap, humming softly to herself as she set it on the stove. She then went back to the box and carefully extracted some cups, setting them on the counter. Turning, she sighed slightly as her gaze fell upon him. Illuminated in the soft light and in the privacy of her own home, she was again amazed by how striking he was. "You really are handsome," she murmured, giggling. She shook her head to herself and turned away. "It used to be so distracting, when I would look at you. But now I don't think of it like that."

"You used to blush when I looked at you for too long."

She smiled, embarrassed, and a faint blush flushed her cheeks. "Of course... you know that's not the only reason I began to like you."

"But it doesn't hurt, I suppose."

She giggled again. "Helped me keep interest during our finer arguments." She tilted her head to one side, a smile tugging at her lips. The timbre of her voice changed as she spoke again. "Sometimes I don't know why I'm so lucky."

"Nor I," he agreed softly. He helped her unpack the box of kitchenware, arranging plates and utensils on the shelves. "I often thought of us living together," he admitted quietly, turning a bowl over in his hands, feeling a chip in its rim. "On our own, eventually."

At his words, happiness surged through Mai, flushing her cheeks and warming her insides. "I suppose I did too," she confessed quietly. "I was very happy, living with Martin and Luella. They were so kind to me; always so generous. It was like I had a family again. But I did think, sometimes..."

Naru lifted the rice cooker from a box and set it on the counter. "Do you want this here?"

"Mn, yeah, that's fine. Things'll sort themselves eventually." The water began to boil and she filled the bottom of the teacups with the hot water, rotating the cups to warm them before dumping the water into the sink. Then, opening a box of tea, she set teabags inside the cups and poured the water over them.

"Did you think of us living together in England? Or in Japan?" He asked quietly. It was something he had always wondered but had never been able to ask her. Now, with the possibility of living together so far away in the future, the words fell easily from his lips.

Mai paused, her eyes distant as she set the kettle back on the stove. "I honestly don't know," she admitted. A small smile spread across her lips and she met his gaze. "Ultimately, it doesn't matter, right? As long as we're together. Either Japan or England."

"Someday," Naru said softly.

She looked up at him coyly. "Promise?"

"Of course. But only if you promise to marry me someday, too."

Mai's eyes widened impossibly large at his words. "Of... of course," she echoed, too shocked to say anything else.

Naru looked away, running a hand through his hair. "I never asked you, before. I meant to." He returned his gaze to hers. "I know this isn't a proper proposal. I will properly ask you, Mai, someday. But now isn't the time for us to get married."

"Yes," Mai agreed, trying to keep her smile from spreading too widely. She giggled suddenly. "Sorry. I just imagined the looks on my classmates' faces if we... if we got married," she finished the latter end of her sentence hurriedly, still not comfortable with the words. "And, oh! Poor Martin and Luella. They'd think you'd lost it."

"Maybe," Naru said dryly. "Don't tell anyone," he suddenly said. "Please... not even Gene. Not yet."

"Of course not," she reassured him, smiling as she reached toward him and stroked his face. "Oh... Naru," she sighed, embracing him.

He remained silent as he held her in his arms, stroking her back gently until she suddenly jumped, emitting a small sound of surprise as she extracted herself from his arms. "Ah! The tea!"

"Ruined the moment, Mai," Naru laughed quietly, shaking his head as he watched her spoon out the tea bags.

"Well, I didn't want to ruin your _tea_," Mai laughed, passing him the cup. "Even if it just came from a bag. Besides, I thought you didn't care much for _moments_," she teased.

"I only care if it's with you." He said simply and turned, surveying the remaining boxes stacked neatly in the main room. "Is that everything for your kitchen?"

"Um, no... there should be another box. Dry foods, I think, mostly. Pantry items." She meandered over to the boxes. "Bathroom, bedroom, main room," she said, setting the boxes aside. "Ah, here. This one."

"I'll do it," Naru said, setting his tea down to pick up the box. "You should unpack your clothes."

...

Mai was still hanging up her clothes in the closet when Naru had finished. He stood in the doorway with his tea, watching her work. "I put the box of toiletries in the bathroom. There was a shelf for your towels but I didn't unpack anything else. There's not much and I assumed you'd want to just arrange everything the way you wanted the first time around."

"Thank you. That's plenty for now. I guess that just leaves the living room, then."

"Shall I unpack your books?"

"If you'd like," Mai said, shrugging slightly as she smoothed her school uniform on its hanger. She'd been wearing it all evening and had only changed into different clothes when he'd returned to the kitchen. "It's not a priority. I can do it later." She made a face. "I should probably do some homework, actually. I have a couple assignments due tomorrow. I know my absence has been explained and the teachers would probably cut me some slack, but..." she sighed and shook her head. "Best try to stay on top of things for now. I'll have plenty of absences in the future." She pushed the suitcase horizontally into the closet and rose to her feet.

"Will you want some furniture?" Naru asked.

"Hmm... maybe a kotatsu," Mai said honestly. "Though winter is almost over. It almost felt like spring today. I know in a week or two it'll be a lot warmer. So maybe just a table would do."

"As you wish." Naru said, holding the now empty cup in his hands, turning it over gently. "Just know, Mai, that whatever you want, I'll get it for you."

"I know, but that's not very fair," Mai said, smiling at him as she walked out of the room. He turned and followed her into the main room. "I can't just have you _buy_ everything for me, Naru. You'll spoil me. I'm already spoiled." She picked up her school bag and extracted her books. "Though maybe a rug would be nice... here I'll just be sitting on the floor." She sat down with her books and Naru began to unpack her books, setting them on the shelves.

"I know you're not always very forthcoming about these things," Naru started, straightening some books as he spoke. "But I do hope if you have any dreams or anything unusual along those lines, you'll tell me."

Mai looked up, turning her pencil in her hand. "You think it'll be different from last time? My... abilities?"

"I don't know." Naru spread his hands slightly. "There is no way to know. I had thought your abilities stemmed from your contact with Gene's spirit. Otherwise, it seemed unlikely that you never would have noticed them manifesting before."

Mai nodded. She and Naru had had the conversation before, wondering why she was particularly receptive to Gene's abilities. "And why I stopped having dreams after I came to London."

"Yes," Naru agreed. He frowned, as that piece of the puzzle didn't line up any longer since he'd learned Gene's spirit had been present throughout his return and Mai's arrival to England. He had always been by his side but was no longer participating in his life through contact with Mai; he had simply been observing. But there was no reason to say so to Mai and raise more questions to which he didn't have answers. He would simply mull over things later, he decided, and continued. "So why it shouldn't be the same this time, or in fact, why your abilities shouldn't be _stronger _with even closer contact to Gene..." his voice trailed off. His eyes suddenly focused on her. "You haven't noticed anything?"

Mai shook her head. "No, nothing."

Naru paused, drumming his fingers against his leg. "The other day, when Lin and I returned for the airport. You were waiting for us. Gene said it was your intuition that brought you to the lobby at the right time."

Mai frowned slightly as she thought. "I suppose so," she started slowly. "I guess I forgot about that."

He smirked, exhaling a small laugh. "I suppose we'll just have to rely on my observational skills, if you can't remember."

"It didn't _feel _the same way," Mai protested, laughing, though there was a defensive edge to her voice. "It didn't feel at all the way I would expect. It wasn't a _sure _feeling, it was just something I needed to do. So I wasn't thinking about it. Next time, I'll notice. _And_ I'll tell you."

"We'll see," he teased, his smirk widening.

"Come on, be nice," she shook her head, though she was smiling and Naru knew she wasn't angry.

...

Mai had been working diligently on her homework for some time. Naru had placed her books on the shelves and with Mai's consent had begun to arrange the remaining items on the shelves: a framed photograph of her and her parents when she was younger, knickknacks and figurines including the plush lion Gene had given her during their trip to the zoo. Placing that particular item onto the shelf, Naru resolved that he himself would give Mai something in the next few days. Perhaps not a stuffed animal, he mused, it wasn't his style. Maybe some jewelry: earrings? He wondered, and looked toward her to see if her ears were pierced.

"That sweater looks good on you," Naru suddenly said. Mai looked up from her work to see him studying her. "I don't remember it from before."

"Oh, this is new, actually." Mai looked at her wrists, smoothing the woven cuffs. "I bought it the first day here... this time around." She smiled sadly. "I opened my eyes and I was lying in a puddle. Evidently I slipped." Her eyes widened and she raised a pointed finger as she remembered. "Did I tell you? That I saw John. I can't remember now... He didn't recognize me, of course," Mai sighed, folding her arms in her lap. "He helped me up and tried to give me his umbrella."

"That sounds like John."

"I was cold and soaking wet. It would've been an hour before I got home, so I bought some dry clothes."

"And that's when you met Gene."

"Yeah." Mai sighed. She shifted again, tapping her pencil against the floor absently. "Funny how everything fits together so perfectly, sometime." She shook her head. "What if I hadn't met him?"

"Well, you would have met him eventually. And I was on my way to Japan to stop him from going to Nagano by himself." His body suddenly tensed and stilled. "Tomorrow," he finally said, his voice strained. "Tomorrow is the day that Gene would have died."

Mai reached toward him and took his hand. "But you don't need to worry about that, Naru. You've changed things." She smiled. "Together you'll run SPR."

Naru sat in silence for several moments. "I've always assumed you'd just come back and work at SPR with me," he said quietly.

"Well, so did I," Mai smiled. "I hope that wasn't presumptuous of me."

"Of course not," he scoffed, and his eyes softened as he gazed at her. Slowly, he reached toward her and stroked her chin with his thumb. "I just want to make sure that's what you want."

"Yes," she said honestly. "Didn't I tell you before, Naru? I just want it to be the way it was before, only with Gene."

"It won't be the same," he cautioned, smiling. "Nothing can be the same with him around." He leaned toward her, his voice low and quiet. "Couldn't do this with him here," he said, and her eyes fluttered shut as he kissed her gently. She smiled shyly as he released her.

"Naru," Mai began tentatively. "If Martin and Luella _do _come to Tokyo in the near future, what will you tell them? About me?" She searched his face. "Or would it be better to wait? I mean, it will only become an issue when you need to return to England."

"No, I don't want to wait." He studied her thoughtfully. "I don't want to keep you a secret, Mai. We'll just tell them the truth."

"The truth?" She repeated, unbelieving. After he had just asked her not to tell _Gene _that he wanted to marry her. Who probably already knew anyway.

He smirked. "We met when you stumbled into one of my cameras—"

"Stumbled!" She protested.

"—and offered to pay for it by working for me."

"_Offered_?" Her eyebrows shot up.

His smirk widened. "Well, we may need to stretch the truth a _little_."

Mai laughed and kissed him. The kiss deepening, he took her shoulders and pulled her toward him as he settled back onto the floor.

...

Naru awoke to his brother's hand, gently shaking his shoulder. "Noll," he whispered, "wake up."

"What is it?" Naru asked, opening his eyes blearily to daylight. Passing his arm over his face, he closed his eyes for several moments before opening them again. "I must have slept soundly; it seems like I just went to bed."

Gene sat back on the bed, his hair disheveled and t-shirt wrinkled from a night of restless sleep. "Sorry to wake you like this. It's just that I had a dream... I'm afraid the details won't stay with me. I thought talking about it would help, and you might like to know."

He was immediately more alert. "A dream? What about?"

"Mai's apartment fire, actually. I must have been thinking about it when I fell asleep, so..." He exhaled. "I guess, I know what it was caused by, if you want to know."

"Was Mai.. or us, for that matter... were we somehow at fault?"

"Well, I wouldn't say that." Gene scratched his head absently, ruffling his black hair further. "Last time Mai _prevented _the fire. Unknowingly, of course. So is she at fault if she didn't prevent it this time?"

"Of course not," Naru said hotly.

"I agree," Gene said calmly, placating. "I agree absolutely."

"What happened?"

"It's rather convoluted, actually. I saw the past—the time she prevented it. She was returning to the apartment during the day and there were some kids playing in the street. As she approached she could see what the kids were doing. They were antagonizing a cat, hiding under a bush. Nothing too serious, I guess—small stones they were throwing rather half-heartedly—but Mai gave them a piece of her mind and scared them off."

"So, what, the kids started the fire? I thought it was faulty electrical wiring."

"No, you're right. It was the wiring. When Mai wasn't there this last weekend, an older woman who lives in the building came down to scold the boys. She'd seen some of what they'd been doing from the apartment, or at least seen enough and decided they were up to no good. Incidentally, she was in such a hurry to come to the rescue of the poor cat, she left her iron plugged in when she went outside. It was an old model, the type that doesn't automatically shut off. The wiring eventually overheated and that's how the fire started."

"A butterfly in Brazil," Naru mused quietly.

"So it seems." Gene's eyes wandered over to the bedside clock and he quickly stood up, stretching. Walking toward the closet, he took a sweatshirt and pulled it over his head. "She should be leaving for school soon. I should be able to catch her."

"You're going to tell Mai?" Naru asked, brow furrowing. "Now?"

"Wouldn't she like to know?" Gene sat back down on Naru's bed while he put on some socks, then sprang to his feet again. "Be back in a jiffy," he said, and left the room.

Naru frowned, pushing the covers back as he got up. "Wait, Gene," he called, but his brother was already gone. "Always impatient," he muttered, shaking his head to himself and reaching for his own clothes to dress.

...

Mai was walking down the street when she heard her name called. She turned to the sound.

"Mai!" Gene was running toward her and she stopped. He skidded to a halt next to her, breathing hard. "Let's walk," he said, gesturing forward. "I wouldn't want to make you late."

Mai nodded her appreciation and they continued down the street together. "What is it?"

"It's about the fire, actually," Gene started, catching his breath. "I had a dream vision and I wanted to tell you what happened. It wasn't your fault."

"I know," Mai said, looking up at him with a puzzled expression on her face. "You showed me. Last night, remember?"

Gene frowned. Behind them, Naru rounded the corner, his open coat blown behind him as he jogged down the street. He slowed to a walk when he saw the two down the street, his expression immediately becoming blank when he saw his twin standing next to Mai. Mai was facing away from him, but his brother was turned toward him and could see him clearly.

"No," Gene said slowly, "actually, I don't remember." Seeing Mai's face shift toward anxiety, he immediately smiled at her. "But actually, the whole dream was pretty fuzzy when I woke up, and I can't remember much even now. I just didn't want you worrying about it. So you'd better get going, I wouldn't want to make you late."

Mai's face shifted into a smile and she waved as she trotted off down the street. Gene watched her leave and his brother soon appeared at his side.

"You didn't remember?" He asked quietly.

"You heard?" Gene asked.

Naru frowned. "As clear as if I was standing next to you." He glanced at his brother beside him, his eyes moving without turning his head. "You did that too, didn't you?"

Gene sighed, clapping his brother on the shoulder, turning as if to leave. "Lin will wonder where we've gotten to."

"I told him." Naru did not move. "I know you've been able to sneak into others' dreams but this is the first time you've shared a dream with another—a dream vision, no less."

Gene spread his hands. "I didn't even mean to do it."

"And with someone who's not even in the general vicinity," Naru mused. "That must mean that you and Mai..." His voice trailed off and he raised his gaze to his brother's, fixing him with a level stare. "You've realized, haven't you? That your abilities are suddenly advancing. In the last week you've done things you've never done before. Noticing Lin's shiki, your vision at Tokyo Tower... Even the way you found Mitsuki Shibuya, I don't think you would have been able to do that a month ago. Unless you've been hiding it from me, which I rather doubt. You're terrible at secrets."

Gene folded his arms across his chest. "You think it's because of Mai?"

"I didn't say anything like that." Even as Naru spoke, he began to wonder how Gene had known that he would be able to catch Mai on her way to school—certainly she hadn't said anything before of when she would leave in the morning. Even he didn't know exactly what her morning schedule was.

"But that's what you're thinking." Gene looked away. "I don't know, Noll. I really don't. What do you want me to do?" He laughed suddenly. "No, I know what you want. You want to test the theories you're already making." He turned his head and Naru found, to his surprise, that he could not read the mixture of emotions on his brother's face. "Be patient, okay? Neither of us have reached our full potential. Things will become clearer if we give them a little more time."

"You're sure about that, aren't you," Naru asked quietly.

"Yes." Gene said lightly. "Very sure. Now let's get back to the apartment—we're testing Lin's patience and my stomach."

...

The days passed and the twins settled into a comfortable routine. Their equipment and books arrived from England and Naru placed the first advertisement for the now fully-functional office. Mai acquired a large kotatsu and the four, Lin included, had taken to convening at Mai's apartment at the end of the day, after school or work. Dinner was always on the stove and the rice was almost ready when they arrived from the office. After dinner, Lin and Naru would read and Gene would help Mai with her homework. Mai would begin to yawn and Lin would stand, promptly announcing it was time to part for the night. Returning to their own apartment, Lin would work in his room, the sounds of computer keys faintly audible through the closed door, and the twins would sit in their shared room: talking, reading, or sometimes playing card games. Occasionally they called their adopted parents to assure them they were happy and healthy in Tokyo. Falling asleep, they would prepare for another day at the office, both looking forward to another evening with Mai.

"Welcome!" Mai called as the trio entered, turning with a bright smile toward the door. She was standing at the stove, tending a steaming, sizzling pan.

"What are you making?" Gene asked, stepping out of his shoes and up onto the raised floor. "It smells great in here."

"No different than usual," Lin said, stooping to place his large shoes on the rack. "How are you, Mai?"

"Great!" She said merrily, waving them inside. "Come sit down. Dinner's always ready. Anything new at the office today?"

"Nothing," Naru said, his voice surly and she knew he was disappointed. He hung up his coat and held out his hand to take Gene's. The three had come straight from the office and were dressed appropriately: Lin in his signature white shirt and black vest while Gene and Naru both wore dark-colored sweaters and collared shirts. "No inquiries. No cases. No clients."

"Something will turn up," Gene said, walking over to the kitchen. "Ooh, gyoza!" He exclaimed, rubbing his hands together in anticipation as he looked over Mai's shoulder. "Looks great!"

"I haven't made gyoza in _ages_," she cautioned, "so don't get your hopes up. I'm sure my technique is absolutely wrong."

"Mai, you really shouldn't have to make us dinner every night," Lin said and Mai laughed in response. They had had the same conversation before, several times.

"I've told you, I _like_ to," she protested, and smiled as Naru came toward the kitchen.

Naru stood next to her in front of the warm stove and lifted the lid on a large pot, billows of steam escaping as he peered inside. "Soup?" he asked. He glanced toward her with a raised eyebrow. "What else did you make for us tonight?"

"Not much, just kinpira gobo," she said, checking a smaller pan on the back burner. "I think it's done. Gene, would you pass me that potholder? I need to let this cool a bit. Thanks." She set the pan aside, removing the lid to let the steam curl off the cooked vegetables inside. "Oh, and there's the hijiki seaweed salad from yesterday in the fridge."

"I'll set the table," Gene said, and after collecting plates and bowls, took them to the kotatsu where he began to arrange them. Lin filled a pitcher of water and took glasses to the table but Naru stayed by Mai's side, resting his hand gently on the small of her back as she tended the pan of frying dumplings.

"You know, you really _don't_ have to make us dinner every night," Naru said quietly.

"I know," Mai giggled. "But I really do like it. Isn't it nice, coming here after work?"

"Of course it is." He frowned slightly. "But tomorrow you'll be with us at the office."

"Yeah! I'm glad it's finally Friday. That's why I made so much tonight, since I won't be cooking tomorrow." She said, lifting and turning the pan as she deposited the gyoza onto a plate. She passed it to Gene, who had returned from the kotatsu for chopsticks. She turned, looking to the rice cooker on the counter nearby. "And the rice is done! Perfect timing. Let's eat."

...

It was not long after dinner that Gene suddenly announced he and Lin had business to attend to back at their apartment. Lin, who had been drying the last of the dishes as Mai washed them, did not look surprised but simply nodded. Naru had raised an eyebrow at his twin but remained silent. Their departure was swift and immediate, Mai waving goodbye sand Lin informing her that they would pick her up the following morning to go to the office together.

"Sure seems quiet all of a sudden," Mai remarked after the two left. She smiled at Naru, knowing full well that Gene had again taken it upon himself to give the couple time to themselves. "I'm going to make tea."

Naru shook his head. "I'll do it," he said, rising to his feet. Mai sat back down slowly, watching him as he filled the kettle and set it on the stove.

"I'm looking forward to coming to the office." She said, smiling and bobbing her head in thanks as he set the passed her a cup. "Does it look the same as last time?"

"More or less. Of course, it's different since this time Gene had a say in the decor."

"Less black, I suppose," Mai giggled, blowing steam off of her tea.

Naru agreed with a nod of his head. "We agreed that we could keep the furniture black at the office if we brightened it up at our apartment. So that's the same. Gene insisted on adding other colors into the room. Rugs and artwork and the like. Well—you'll see tomorrow."

"Up to your professional standards?"

"It'll do," he said dryly. "Gene wanted to, so I let him take care of it. On the condition that he provide us with decent teacups, which he obliged."

"_Most _important," she teased.

"I'm afraid tomorrow will be rather boring," Naru admitted regretfully. "So if you would rather not come into the office..."

"Of course I want to!" Mai said quickly, straightening and a defensive edge coming into her voice. "Besides, you never know when your first client will show up."

"We may have to wait until your principal calls about the supposedly haunted school building," Naru cautioned, lifting his teacup.

"It's only been a couple days, hasn't it? And besides, your books came from England, didn't they?" Mai grinned. "So even if no one comes, it will be a perfect quiet day at the office for you to do some light reading."

Naru frowned at her. "Reading books I've already read is not ideal compared to the alternative." He sighed, again thinking about what Gene had said that morning on the street. It had been occupying his focus and his research ever since. "I suppose I have some things I need to continue looking into."

"And you can still have new insights, even if you're re-reading something," Mai suggested with a smile. "But I'm _sure_ someone will come in tomorrow."

"You're sure, are you?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "Is this intuition?"

Mai flushed and looked at the teacup in her hands. "I don't know. Just... just a feeling." Her voice quieted and he could hear her doubt. "Maybe it's just optimism. I don't know why I said it."

He gazed at her quietly and said nothing before nodding his head in defeat. "Gene seems determined that I should not yet understand his abilities, so I suppose I should expect not to understand yours, either, especially if they are linked, as I suspect." Mai looked at him questioningly but before she could speak, he reached into his pocket and removed a small box. "For you," he said, passing it toward her.

The puzzled look on her face remained but was lit up with a smile. "What's this? You shouldn't have." She opened the box and her eyes softened. "Oh, how lovely.."

"It's hardly anything, so don't make that face," Naru said, watching her as she picked up a small enameled pin. "I wanted to get you something much nicer, but I knew you wouldn't be comfortable wearing diamonds or pearls to school. I thought it would be nice... if it was something you could actually wear."

"No, this is perfect," Mai said, smiling softly. She turned the pin over in her hands, the edges catching the light. The circular pin was etched with the design of a tree, the green inlaid leaves twining around a white bird, stark against the bronze and black background. "It's so pretty... and I've never seen anything like it." She suddenly giggled. "You're right about pearls and diamonds," she laughed, "I wouldn't wear them. But I will wear this. This is wonderful." She leaned forward and kissed him gently. "Thank you." She opened her eyes and gazed at him, her eyes seeming to him impossibly large. "Did you really mean it, then? When you said you wanted to get married someday?"

"Of course I meant it," Naru said, frowning slightly, his expression almost worried. "You know I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it."

"I know," Mai agreed, her finger absently tracing the design of the pin. He could see that she was trying not to smile, biting her bottom lip. "It's kind of embarrassing, you know? But it makes me really happy that you said that... it makes me so, so happy."

"You don't need to be embarrassed," Naru stated matter-of-factly. "Marriage is a meaningful commitment. Of course it would make you happy to know that we have the same objective in our relationship."

"Well, when you say it like that, it doesn't sound so romantic anymore," Mai laughed. She rested her head on her arms, turning her face to hide a yawn. "What did you mean when you said that Gene didn't want you to understand him? His abilities?"

Naru paused, considering. "Nothing. It's nothing."

"Are you sure?" It obviously wasn't nothing, but he probably was not ready to discuss his thoughts.

He smiled and leaned forward to kiss her forehead. "I appreciate... that you're concerned. But let's talk about it later."

...

The next day found Mai reading at her desk, absently watching the clock. It had been a quiet morning at the office—everything ready in case a potential client came by—but the morning had slipped into early afternoon and she began to worry that her hunch of a new client had been wrong. She was alone in the main room. What had used to be Naru's solitary office was now an office for the Shibuya brothers and Lin retained his own office, from which came familiar sound of typing. She realized she didn't even know what he was doing—how could he be writing up case notes when there hadn't even been any cases yet? Frowning as she considered this, she finally nodded to herself, coming to the new conclusion that what he was doing didn't even have to be work for their office of SPR—surely there was work to do relating to BSPR. Most likely there were reports to make regarding the twin's new business—or even just informing their adopted parents on their daily activities. Her eyes flitting up to the clock once again, she exhaled a sigh of relief, grateful for the opportunity to stretch. She stood, flexing her arms above her head and walked over to the kitchenette, re-filling the electric kettle and turning up the heat.

She turned, sensing a presence in the room. Gene stood in the doorway, his eyes somewhat unfocused as he stared toward the door. He suddenly blinked, his eyes clearing and he turned toward her. "You're making tea?" He mimicked her nod, his eyes going back toward the door. "Good. I think we're going to have a guest who will really need some."

Mai was taking the steeped tea leaves out of the pot when the office door opened. A girl, not much older than herself, peered cautiously inside. "Excuse me," she said tentatively.

"Please come in," Mai said, smiling welcomingly. "Welcome to Shibuya Psychic Research. Won't you please sit down? Can I offer you some tea?"

The girl hovered anxiously by the doorway, not seeming convinced. Mai found herself immediately observing her, looking at their potential client closely for any clues or indications of her nature. She was a very pretty girl, Mai thought, with large eyes and full lips, her dark curly hair reaching just to her shoulders. She was probably sixteen or seventeen—still a student, and the fact that she did not come in the afternoon during the week probably alluded to the fact that she either attended cram school or had club activities, or both. "This is that psychic research place I saw advertised, right? You investigate... things of a supernatural nature?" Her eyes darted to the open doorway when Gene appeared.

"Please come in," Gene said, echoing Mai's earlier words. He sat down in a chair and gestured toward the sofa. "I am Shibuya Ichirou. Together with my brother, Shibuya Kazuya, and the assistance of Taniyama Mai," Mai nodded her head toward the girl in greeting, "and our assistant Lin Koujo, we run Shibuya Psychic Research. What can we do for you? Would you like to sit down?"

"Let me take your coat," Mai said gently, and the girl slowly complied. Underneath she was dressed in a deep purple cardigan over a lacy black shirt and black pants, which Mai noted seemed new and fit her well. Mai wasn't entirely sure if it was the current fashion, but the woolen coat also seemed new and she suspected it was well-made and expensive. As she hung the coat on the rack she wondered if the girl came from a wealthy family.

At that moment Naru appeared, where Gene had stood only moments before. "Bring the tea, Mai," he said, and Mai quickly complied. As she passed her desk, she picked up a folder, tucking it under her arm. "Lin," he called, and the tall Chinese man appeared, carrying his laptop folded under his arm. Naru sat down in the chair next to his brother.

The girl's eyes widened and she moved forward, staring at the twins. "Maybe... maybe you can help me," she suddenly breathed, unmasked relief evident in her voice. She fumbled in her pocket, retrieving what Mai could see was a photograph. Mai set the tray of tea down on the table, passing cups to Naru and Lin. She waited until the girl had sat down before offering her the tea, placing it in front of her on the low table.

The girl finally passed the photograph to the twins. "I think... I think you might understand a little bit," she whispered. It was obviously the girl before them in the photograph, standing beside an identical girl. Twin sisters.

"You came here today because of your sister, didn't you?" Gene asked softly.

"Yes," the girl whispered, tears welling in her eyes. She managed to blink them away and her trembling hands reached for the teacup in front of her. "My sister died three months ago. And she's been haunting me ever since."

Her words settled over the still room. The girl drank the tea, her eyes focused on the table. While Naru was intently studying his brother, Gene was just as focused on the girl. Lin and Mai's eyes both moved between the twins and their prospective client, waiting for and wondering what the reaction would be.

"What happened to her?" Gene finally asked softly, when the girl had lowered the cup from her lips.

The girl closed her eyes briefly, holding the teacup tightly as if afraid it might slip from hands. "They said... it could have been an accident. And that doesn't bring as much shame on the family as the alternative. But of course... there was talk.." she let out a bitter chuckle, but as she was fighting tears, the sound was strange and forced. "There's always talk. That she might have committed suicide."

Mai, sitting next to her, moved on instinct, putting her hands reassuringly on her shoulders.

"What do you think happened?" Naru asked.

The girl shook her head. "I... don't know anymore. At first, I was sure it was an accident. She didn't leave a note. She had no reason to kill herself, at least that's what I thought. She didn't _seem _unhappy. But I'll be honest that I doubt myself. We had started hanging out with different friends. We were in different circles. If something was wrong... maybe I wouldn't have seen it. And then... strange things started happening."

"Strange things?" Gene questioned.

The girl took a deep breath. "Maybe... a week after the funeral. At first I thought I was imagining it. Doors would be open when I had walked through and closed them moments before. I fell a couple times when I was about to sit because my chair was no longer directly beneath me."

Naru frowned slightly. "Where did this happen? At home, or at school?"

The girl took a breath. "Anywhere. I don't go to the store anymore because I'm afraid that a display might get knocked over after I walk by it." She lifted the teacup to her lips. "My parents thought I was acting out to get attention. Or... _something_. I don't understand why they think I'm doing it. And I almost believed them, too, at first—I thought, maybe, _somehow_, I was unconsciously doing these things, or.. _forgetting_, or something. But then..." her voice trailed off, and she looked nervous.

Mai glanced at Naru, watching his reaction to these words. He remained silent as his twin spoke. "Other things started happening," Gene said for her.

The girl nodded gratefully. "Things that I didn't think I could do and just _forget_ I'd done them, like you could with opening a door or moving a chair. I'd never had a nosebleed in my whole life, but all of a sudden, every night I would wake up with a bloody nose and blood all over my face and on my pillow. Three lightbulbs have shattered above me, when I'm alone, studying in my room in the evening. And just recently..." her voice trailed off again and she glanced toward Mai.

"It's okay," Mai said quietly, her voice gentle. "You can show us."

The girl slowly slid the sleeves of her cardigan down her arms. The shirt she wore beneath was short-sleeved, and as the bare skin of her arms was revealed, it could be seen that they were covered in dark bruises and several bandages. Her eyes downcast, she remained very still for several moments before quickly pulling the sweater back up to her shoulders.

"My... legs are the same," she confessed quietly.

"When did this start?" Naru asked seriously, glancing toward Gene, who had an alarmed look on his face.

"About... a week ago. Or a little more."

"When? At night, like the nosebleeds?" Gene asked.

She shook her head. "No... not necessarily. It's happened during the day as well. Sometimes at school, in class... it feels like someone's just hit me." She smiled bitterly. "It's better that way, because at night it wakes me up and I can't sleep." She took a breath. "And at the same time... there have been messages."

Naru's frown deepened. "Messages?"

"Not like on paper or anything," she said quickly. "I'd have brought anything if I could. But I swear I've seen it... getting out of the bath, in the mirror in the steam..." her voice trailed off. "I suppose that sounds crazy."

"What does it say?"

The girl took a breath. "It's always one or the other. It says _You killed me_, or.. it says _It's all your fault_," the girl said, her voice trembling, and at for the first time in the interview, she began to cry. She covered her face, desperately trying to steady her breathing. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "It's been a really bad week."

"You don't need to apologize," Mai said gently, once again touching her arm reassuringly. "We understand. We know what you're going through."

The girl had calmed enough to nod, wiping at her eyes before lifting her chin again. She blushed slightly, as if only just becoming aware of the male gaze that was upon her. "I refuse to believe that I'm crazy," she finally said, her voice steady. "I know that's what my parents are thinking. That I'm out to cause trouble or get attention. And if my classmates knew... well, they'd say the same thing, right? But I know these things are happening. As crazy as it sounds." She pinned Naru with a sharp gaze, evidently having caught on to the fact that he was the leader of the group. "Do you think I'm crazy?"

"No," Naru said shortly. "I don't. If you are being truthful—which I see no reason to disbelieve you—from what you've told us, it seems very likely that there is something supernatural at the root of your problem. But we'll need more information if we are to offer you any assistance. We'll need to ask you more questions about your sister's death and we'll need raw data, both of which may feel like an intrusion on your privacy. Before we come to any agreement on how to move forward, you must understand that as our client, we will both do our utmost to protect your safety and we will respect your wishes on how to conduct our investigation. If you omit details when we ask for them or if you refuse to allow us to conduct surveillance it will undoubtedly have an effect on the result of our investigation and final opinion." The girl gave a short nod of consent and Naru glanced at Mai, who opened her folder and removed a sheet of paper, placing it on the table in front of her. "This agreement states as much, but in greater detail. Please read it carefully and let us know if you have any objections. You can return it to us when we start the first day of our investigation. If you don't, of course, we will have to discontinue our research."

"When can that be?" She asked, her voice hopeful. Her face had changed from distraught to eager. "When can you start investigating?"

Naru folded his arms across his chest, glancing at his brother and meeting his gaze. "We could start tomorrow. Or on Monday. As you prefer. You said that these things have happened both at school and at home, correct?" She nodded and he pressed his hands together, the fingertips touching just below his chin. "It will be difficult to gather data at your school, certainly." He turned his head toward Lin. "Lin, do you think you could get Mai and Ge—" he stopped himself but immediately continued "—Ichirou into her school as transfer or visiting students on Monday?"

Lin nodded, speaking for the first time. "Shouldn't be a problem."

Naru glanced toward Mai. "You don't mind missing some school next week?"

"Course not."

Naru tapped his pencil against his notepad, "As for at your home..." his voice trailed off slightly but the girl interrupted, eyes swinging between them, landing on Mai.

"Wait, you're in school?" She looked astonished. "You mean, college, right?"

Mai blushed slightly, not entirely sure why she was flustered. "Actually, I'm in high school. I'm fifteen."

The other girl blushed as well, embarrassed. "I'm sorry... for some reason I was sure you were older." She looked at Mai closely and then her eyes moved around the group in front of her. "If you're going to be students at my school, then I wouldn't even have to lie to my parents if I told them you were classmates, coming over to work on a school project. That way you could come to my house." She looked apologetically at Lin. "I am sorry, sir, but I don't think I could convince my parents that you're a classmate..."

"I should hope not," Lin said with a very small wry smile.

"Forgive me if this is a redundant question," Gene started quietly, "but I want to confirm that you wish to keep our investigation a secret from them?"

The girl nodded, biting her lip, suddenly nervous. "Yeah... I don't want to tell them."

The twins exchanged glances. "It may be difficult," Naru began, "but we'll work something out."

"Um, I live in kind of a big house," the girl started, and Mai immediately knew her earlier suspicion of a wealthy family was correct. "They don't usually bother me. And they never come in my room. They would notice if I had guests, but as for what we did..." she spread her hands, and Mai knew the girl didn't have any idea of what they would need to conduct their investigation. "You can do whatever you need to do."

Naru nodded, a small smirk forming on his lips. "We'll work out the details. Would you like us to begin tomorrow?"

The girl smiled, relieved. "Yes. Please."

To conclude the meeting Naru stood and the other four followed suit. "Mai, will you make the arrangements for tomorrow with..." his voice trailed off as he looked at the girl, not sure how to continue.

She blushed. "I'm sorry. I never introduced myself. My name is Kaori. Murata Kaori."

Naru inclined his head. "We will meet again tomorrow, Murata-san. Please look over the agreement and we will conduct a more thorough interview of your circumstances then. Please feel free to contact us before then if you have any questions or concerns."

The girl watched as the three men disappeared into the side office, following Mai to her desk. Mai fished a pencil from a tray, picking up a clipboard. "We'll need your address and contact details, as well as the name of your school and your class." Mai said, passing the items to Kaori. "If I could just have you fill out this form..."

The girl nodded and took them wordlessly, began to write. Pausing in her writing, she glanced up toward Mai. "Are you guys related? You're all so familiar."

The response Mai gave was immediate. "No," she said, smiling slightly. "But we've known each other for a really long time."

When Kaori passed the clipboard back to Mai, she glanced over the form to make sure they had the information they needed. "As for tomorrow..." Mai began, scribbling a number on the line for _Client Case No. _and her own name at _Staff Review_, "We usually have a considerable amount of equipment for our investigations. For your circumstance, we may not want to use all of it. Shibuya-san will have a recommendation for what is necessary and we will discuss it with you tomorrow when we meet. But might there be a time tomorrow that we could bring in our equipment without your parents noticing?"

Kaori nodded and her answer was immediate. "My parents go to church every Sunday morning. They leave at nine and return around noon."

"Is it all right if we come at 9:30, then?" When Kaori nodded, Mai passed her the agreement she'd left on the table as well as a business card. "That should give us enough time to start with. We'll go from there." She smiled warmly. "We'll see you tomorrow, Murata-san."

...

Kaori Murata had left the office and Mai had made another pot of tea. She opened the door to the twins' office, carrying the tray of tea as well as the clipboard with the form Kaori had just filled out.

"—the nosebleeds could easily be caused by stress," Naru was saying, drumming his fingers against the desk, "but it's very unlikely the marks on her arms and legs are."

"Thank you," Lin said, as Mai passed him a cup. "I thought you didn't even like tea, Gene?" he remarked as the older twin accepted the cup from Mai.

"It's growing on me," Gene smirked.

"What did I miss?" Mai asked, passing the last cup to Naru with the clipboard and sitting down in a chair next to Lin.

"Not much." Gene said. "We were just going over what she told us. Noll said he didn't want to start discussing any theories yet."

"You do believe her story, don't you?" Mai asked, taking a sip from her tea. "You told her as much."

"Yes," Naru said, looking up from the clipboard. "It is possible, however, that not everything she's experienced is supernatural. Undoubtedly it is a very stressful time for her, to lose her sister..." his voice trailed off slightly and he returned his gaze quickly to the clipboard in his hand. "So we'll be going to Arakawa, then." He glanced at Mai, somewhat amused. "At 9:30? Did you choose that time or did she?"

"Her parents go to church, she said," Mai relayed. "We can at least bring some equipment into the house unnoticed."

"Unless she has nosy neighbors," Naru commented absently, turning back to the page. "Though we'll have to see what we can actually use. Keeping her parents unaware may be difficult."

"We certainly can't put any cameras up where they will see them," Gene said, stretching his arms up and folding them behind his head. "That would leave just small microphones and basic temperature gauges."

"There is her bedroom, if she's certain her parents wouldn't come inside."

"In her bedroom? Surely, Naru, that would be an invasion of her privacy," Mai protested.

"It depends on how desperate she is," Naru countered, frowning slightly. He passed the clipboard to Lin and sat back in his chair, folding his hands together. "We'll find out more details tomorrow, when we can conduct a complete interview. There may be some details she omitted and we know nothing about her sister."

Gene frowned slightly, thinking. "She said it was an accident, but she never alluded to how she actually died."

"She doesn't want to tell us, certainly," Naru agreed, "but she'll have to if she expects us to do anything about it." He turned his gaze to Mai. "Mai, why don't you see what you can find out about Murata-san and her family?" He nodded toward his brother and Lin. "We'd better get the equipment ready for tomorrow."

"Before we begin, there's something I have to say." Lin said, setting his empty teacup down on the small table between his and Mai's chairs. "Aahil... the shiki you've become acquainted with," he said, nodding toward Gene, "told me that there was a spirit, following her that left as soon as she opened the door to the office."

"Her sister?" Mai questioned aloud.

Lin shook his head. "I don't think so. Aahil said that it was the spirit of what used to be a boy."

Naru looked intrigued, leaning forward and pressing his folded hands against his chin. "Curious," he said.

"A boy, huh..." Gene said thoughtfully.

Lin glanced toward him. "Did you see anything?"

Gene shook his head. "I didn't see that," he said. His words seemed to be spoken too carefully and Mai had the suspicion that there was something Gene was not saying. Perhaps he truly hadn't seen the spirit that Lin's shiki had: but he had seen something else that he was not telling them about. She pursed her lips, remembering how Gene had come out of the office before the girl's arrival. He had known she was coming—that was clear. But was that his intuition, or something more? She began to wonder if Gene's blank look had had anything to do with the spirit, tapping her fingers against her leg as she thought. Certainly, yesterday, even she'd thought that surely a client would arrive—not that she'd known exactly _when_, of course, but Gene's abilities were strong whereas her own barely existed. Suddenly noticing that Naru was watching her, she blushed slightly, her thoughts interrupted and she averted her gaze.

Mai stood, collecting the cups. "More tea for anyone?"

"Maybe in a bit," Gene said, eying his brother with a smirk. "I'm sure Noll would love more."

Mai smiled as she left the office, taking the cups to the kitchenette.

As she set the tray of cups down, she frowned, looking at the countertop. The teacup that Kaori Murata had drank out of was sitting on the counter where she'd left it—but she immediately noticed the hairline crack, obvious in the white porcelain. She reached toward it, hesitating for only a second before picking it up. The teacup broke into two pieces in her hands, the halves coming apart effortlessly.

"Interesting," she murmured to herself, setting the broken teacup back onto the counter, tapping her finger against her lips. It was a warning, she knew, but one that would not be heeded. "That is very interesting indeed."

* * *

A/N: Sorry (as usual) for my slow update. Thanks to everyone who reads and reviews! Let me know what you think of this chapter! I love to hear from you ^_^


	10. Part X

_**Part X**_

Naru did not immediately recognize the dreamscape as such. He was walking down an empty school hallway, the dim lighting muting the colors and blurring the edges of his vision. He felt as though he was viewing the world through a wet pane of glass or perhaps walking through a sloppy watercolor painting, the edges indistinguishable and running together. Was it his vision or was it his mind, unable to focus on the details? He couldn't tell.

"Oh good," a voice suddenly said beside him, "you're here."

Naru turned to face his brother, who appeared relieved, a tentative smile twitching the corners of his lips. While the hallway was blurry and muted, his twin was as clear as if they were standing in a well-lit room instead of the dim hall. The realization that he was in a dream—in _Gene's_ dream—came almost immediately.

"What am I doing here?"

Gene shrugged slightly in response to his question. "I figured I usually forget most of the details anyway, so I might as well have you here to see it for yourself. I know you always hate it when I'm trying to relay a dream about a case but can't recall even half of it."

"You think I'll have a better chance of remembering?" He asked dryly.

"Well, it doubles the odds, doesn't it, Noll?" Gene's lips curved in a smirk. Turning his head, he raised his arm, pointing down the hallway ahead of them. Naru squinted, unable to distinguish anything at a distance. "Down there. There are some kids in one of the classrooms. Let's go."

"How I'm here is what I would like to know," Naru mused as they walked. "You just politely knocked and invited me into your dream?"

Gene made a face. "Basically, yes," he grinned sheepishly. "Honestly, I only did half of it. I just created a link for you to come here... _you_ actually had to cross it."

"And that's what you did when you showed Mai the dream about her apartment fire? Created a link for her to join you?"

Gene nodded. "I remember that now. But I still don't remember her being there when I saw what happened." He shrugged slightly, shaking his head.

"Could you bring anyone into your dreams, then?"

"I doubt it. I can make a successful link with _you_ through our psychic connection. I couldn't do that with just anyone."

Naru frowned pensively. "Just Mai, but…"

"—only because she's so receptive to others' psychic abilities," his brother finished for him.

Naru's frown deepened slightly. "She only seems receptive to yours, Gene," he said quietly.

They stopped in front of a door. Gene glanced up at the sign above, noting that it was the music room. From within the room they could hear raised voices: girls were arguing. Gene reached out and slid the door open silently, stepping inside the room, his brother close behind him.

The girls, in identical winter school uniforms, were nearly impossible to distinguish. Their hair was styled nearly the same way and both were scowling at each other. One of the girls was standing, her arms folded across her chest, her face mirroring the sister who was sitting with an instrument case across her lap. "—all I'm saying, Natsumi, is that he is _bad news_. You'd be better off if you stayed away from him."

It was Kaori who spoke. Her twin, Natsumi, rolled her eyes. "You're just like Mom and Dad, Kaori. _Study hard. Do you homework. Practice more. Don't go out with boys_. You're just jealous that you don't have someone who wants to be _your _boyfriend."

Kaori's eyes flashed. "Don't you dare compare me to our parents, Natsumi. And I wouldn't care if you had a boyfriend if it wasn't _him_. What do you see in him, anyway? He's mean and such a bully. And doesn't he have the lowest scores in his class? They say he's going to have to repeat a grade."

"Yoshimasa's _not _mean. You don't even know him, so how can you say that? He's funny and he's always nice to me. And he's not stupid; he just doesn't have time to do his homework because of his part-time job."

"What's his part-time job? Shaking up kids for money?" Kaori bit back. "He's certainly not working at the neighborhood konbini. And don't pretend you don't know what family he comes from. They certainly don't need any extra money in _their _business."

Natsumi stood up so quickly that the chair fell over behind her. "Shut _up_, Kaori," she said, her knuckles turning white as she tightly gripped the handle of the case in her hands. "He's not like that. He's not like his family." She took a deep breath, trying to calm her shaking voice. "Whatever. Your opinion doesn't matter, anyway, and there's nothing you can do about it. Go back to your friends and leave me alone." Natsumi said, whipping around and stalking out of the room. Gene and Naru quickly sidestepped the door as she passed.

"Fine! See if I care what happens. But you'll regret hanging out with him. Don't say I didn't say so," Kaori called after her retreating sister.

"This is only the beginning of the divide that grew between them," Gene said quietly. "I have a feeling we're going to need to learn more about what happened afterwards."

...

Mai was humming to herself as she walked down the street, tipping her head side to side with her footsteps. In the early morning there were few up and about as of yet: she saw a cat sitting on a roof and bid good morning to an older woman sweeping leaves from the walk into a dustbin. Even the main thoroughfare at the edge of her neighborhood was fairly quiet. As she walked, she mused over the details of the case, turning each piece of information over in her mind, trying to find connections and questions for which to seek answers. Already there were many, many questions; she hoped they would be able to get answers to the most basic ones so that they could help Murata-san.

She frowned to herself as she pushed open the door to the just-opened supermarket, bending to pick up a shopping basket. If it was the work of a spirit, it was a violent one; and the intensity only seemed to be growing. From their preliminary research of Murata and her family, they'd only been able to illuminate a few details of the situation. Her parents seemed to be a rather well-off, if not completely normal, couple: her father was a mid-level executive at an international company; her mother a housewife that devoted much of her free time to volunteering with children's groups. There appeared to be nothing out of the ordinary about the family. She'd found one article that referred to the twins from five years ago, when the girls took first place at a prefectural music competition. She'd also found the obituary of the sister—Murata Natsumi. The obituary did not state the cause of death, only some of what they'd already known.

Mai paused her musings to tick off her shopping list in her head, glancing at the basket. Her kitchen was in dire need of several staples—mainly rice and miso—but as she was out shopping anyway, she had figured she might as well pick up some vegetables. Next to the tub of red miso and bags of dried wakameseaweed and shiitake mushrooms, she also had a daikon radish, carrots and a wrapped parcel of enoki mushrooms. She nodded to herself, satisfied. Last would be the rice. Pausing at the display, she passed over her usual one kilo bag of rice for the heftier five kilo. After all, she was now making rice every evening for four, instead of one.

Leaving the store, she was distracted from her reflections on the Murata case as she noticed a man staring at her from down the street. At first she thought he was perhaps looking at something behind her, but as she approached she could see he was blatantly staring at her, following her movements. She observed him through her peripheral vision. He was smartly and fashionably dressed in a dark sport coat, straight pants and a black scarf tied around his neck. His black hair was cropped close to his head and he wore thin-rimmed glasses. It was hard to ignore his stare and she couldn't help but tentatively give him a closer look. As she did she realized he did not appear to be Japanese. She paused as she neared him, wary, afraid to meet his gaze but reluctant not to.

"Sorry," she started uncertainly, "can I help you?"

His face brightened as she addressed him, his dark brown eyes glimmering as he spoke. "Ah! I must admit I was wondering if you would say something." He said, answering her in English. "If you could see me, that is."

She understood immediately. "You must be Aahil."

He smiled charmingly and she was struck by how straight and white his teeth were. "I am."

"What are you doing here?"

"Well, I was watching you, quite obviously," Aahil said. He gestured to the heavy bag in her hand. "May I take that for you?" He did not wait for her reply before lifting it out of her hand. As he did she noticed he wore two silver rings on his left hand, and side-by-side they began to walk down the street back to her house.

"That's not what I mean," Mai said, realizing that if she wanted answers from him she would probably have to be extremely direct—otherwise he'd certainly try to evade answering her questions. "Why were you watching me? Did Lin-san send you?"

"Not exactly," he said vaguely.

"You didn't know I could see you, though?" She pressed, curious. "Can't you… make yourself visible to humans if you want to?"

"I possess the capability," Aahil said, "but would only do such a thing if my Master requested." He could see that she was becoming frustrated with his indirect answers and smiled to appease her. "Considering… recent events, my Master has requested that I do not stay too close to their apartment. I am afraid I have become a distraction to the elder of the twins."

"Oh," Mai said, suddenly feeling sorry for him, and he shook his head with a smile.

"Do not pity me, Taniyama-san, there is no reason. I am connected to my master just as those brothers are connected to each other. I do not require physical proximity to be close to my master, let alone to serve him." He nodded slightly to her. "My master asked if I could determine if you would be ready when they came to pick you up to go to Arakawa."

"Of course," Mai scoffed, offended that Lin would doubt her punctuality. "I don't oversleep as much as I used to. At least not for work. I haven't in _years_."

Aahil once again smiled at her in response and she was suddenly struck by how his long eyelashes framed his large almond shaped eyes. If Aahil were visible to the human world, no doubt he would create an even bigger stir with the ladies than the twins generally did.

"You didn't need to stand there watching me, though," Mai mused. "It kind of freaked me out at first."

He laughed. "I apologize. I suppose my curiosity had the better of me." He smiled apologetically. "I _did _wish to know if I was visible to you, Taniyama-san."

She regarded him curiously. "You're not disobeying him by talking with me, are you?"

"Of course not!" He seemed shocked at the suggestion. "I could never go against my Master's wishes."

His words made her even more curious. "You really are loyal to Lin-san. You don't… serve him out of duty, do you."

He shook his head. "He saved me from a terrible fate. The day my Master dismisses me is the day I descend into something akin to what you humans call hell." As he spoke, a chill ran down Mai's spine, raising the hairs on the back of her neck.

"No," Aahil said, smiling wistfully. "Some serve their masters half-heartedly and some despise their masters for their servitude. I am not like that. I am bound to my Master by my gratitude to him, and that is perhaps the strongest bond we could form. Besides," he turned toward her, his smile broadening. "He is rather a good chap, wouldn't you say?"

Mai couldn't help but smile, but still she felt unsettled by his earlier words. "Yes."

They walked in silence down the street, Mai's house coming into view. It was Mai who broke the silence. "Aahil-san," she started, but he shook his head and cut her off.

"Please. Only Aahil."

"Aahil," she began again tentatively, "I'm sure you know Lin-san better than I do. I'm afraid… I worry that he's lonely." She looked at the ground, biting her lip. "When we came back to this time.. it worked out for me, Naru and Gene. The three of us together. But Lin-san…" Tears of empathy formed in her eyes as she spoke and she brushed them away with the back of her hand. "He must miss his wife so terribly."

"Of course he misses his wife," Aahil said, "But I wouldn't say he's lonely. You underestimate what you do for him. What you three children can offer him." He gestured to the grocery bag, lifting it slightly as he spoke. "This is important, Taniyama-san. Please do not stop making dinner for them."

"I won't," Mai promised.

"He will meet his wife again, sooner this time than before. And she will love him, just as she once did." Aahil said. "I may not be very skilled at reading the future but this I know for certain."

At his words, a wave of relief rushed through her and tears slipped down her cheeks. "Good… I'm glad."

He smiled at her as they stood in front of her house, holding out the groceries for her to take. "I'll leave you here, Taniyama-san. I'm sure we will meet again in the future. I'll let him know you'll be ready when they come by."

Mai shook her head. "No need… I'll walk over there after I put the groceries away."

He inclined his head. "Very well. The door will be unlocked for you, even if no one answers." He paused before speaking again. "Oh," he said, as if an afterthought. "Be sure to tell your lover that you saw me. I'm sure he will be very interested to know." Mai blushed slightly but nodded, and the shiki Aahil disappeared into the shadows beneath the lilac tree.

...

There was no answer when Mai went to the apartment but the main door clicked open for her anyway, so she let herself in and walked up to their flat. Once again, there was no response when she knocked, but the door was open so she went inside.

"Excuse me, I'm coming in," she called quietly, excusing herself as she slipped off her shoes and stepped inside. The main room was empty and nearly silent but for the sound of water running in a nearby room—someone was taking a shower.

She went to the kitchen and had turned on the hot water when Gene appeared from the hallway, fingering the top buttons of his shirt.

"Oh, good morning, Mai," he said, not seeming at all surprised to see her unannounced in his kitchen. "Slept well last night, I hope?" he said, his voice light and playful. He took a plate from the cupboard and slid a piece of bread into the toaster. "Ready for the day?"

"As always," she said cheerfully. "Want some tea or coffee?"

"Mn, tea, I 'spose," he said, turning his head and yawning behind his hand. "If you make a pot then it'll be ready for Noll and Lin too."

"Where is Lin-san?" Mai asked as she set out teacups on the counter. "He went out?"

Gene cocked his head, considering her. "How do you know it's not Lin in the shower?"

Mai blushed slightly. "I just… just assumed."

Gene shrugged dismissively. "Well, you're right," he said, turning his gaze to watch his toast. "Noll woke a little late this morning. He's in the shower. Lin's loading up the rest of the equipment into the van; he should be back soon."

Mai nodded, carefully spooning the tea into the tea strainer. "Gene," she started slowly, unsure of how to begin. "Yesterday you saw something, didn't you? When Murata-san was coming. You knew she was coming but it was more than intuition. You saw a vision of it, right?"

Gene nodded simply, leaning against the counter. "Yes."

"Did you see… that spirit that Lin said his shiki told him about? The boy?"

"He said it wasn't a boy," Gene corrected, "at least not anymore. And no. That's not what I saw." He shrugged again slightly, his deep blue eyes intent on the toasting bread. "It was such a simple vision, Mai. I saw her walking from behind and I knew she was agitated and that she was coming to see us." He looked up at her. "That's all. Really."

"Is that so?" Mai tried not to sound disappointed but she knew Gene could see through her. She had almost been _certain _that something meaningful to the case had happened and she was annoyed that she was once again in the wrong.

Gene smiled apologetically and straightened. "Actually," he said, "why don't I just show you." Before Mai could speak, he stepped toward her and took her hands, lifting them to press against his cheeks and leaned his forehead to press against hers. "_A picture's worth a thousand words, that's what they say, right?_" but she could not tell if he had actually spoken or if she had only imagined him saying it.

She saw, then, the vision as Gene had seen it. It was dim and shaky—she felt as though she was walking behind Murata-san down the street, watching her through a hand-held camera, her view jostled by each step. It was definitely Murata-san—she recognized her even though the vision never showed her face. As Gene had said, the vision was accompanied by the certainty that she was walking to the office of SPR.

The vision ended then and Mai opened her eyes. Gene had released her hands, but they were still resting on his cheeks and his face was still tremendously close to hers.

What Mai and Gene did not see was his brother standing in the hallway, leaning against the wall with an unmistakenable look of jealously upon his face. Naru turned his head away, his hands gripping the towel that was slung around his neck and retreated down the hall.

"How do you do that," Mai murmured, and Gene smiled in response.

"A bit hard to explain," he said.

She gazed up at him, slowly releasing her hands from his face. "Sometimes... I think you look so much like your brother," Mai said quietly, her eyes searching his.

"We are twins," Gene said jokingly, though the smile had disappeared from his face. The toast popped out of the toaster and he stepped away from her, putting the toasted bread on his plate and taking it to the table, turning his back to her.

"Other times I can't believe how different you are," she continued, her voice dropping even quieter as she turned back to the tea. Her eyes followed the steam as it curled up from the liquid and slowly disappeared into the kitchen air. "When I look into your eyes, I see and I don't see. I don't feel that way with Naru."

"And you probably shouldn't," he said quietly. "It's better that way. Isn't it, Noll?" He did not look up as his brother entered the room.

"Hn," Naru said quietly, passing the table to cross into the kitchen, heading toward Mai.

Mai turned, a smile forming on her lips as she saw him. "Oh, good morning, Naru—" her words were cut off when he took her hands and kissed her hungrily, his body pressing hers against the counter.

"_Naru_," she squeaked softly when he released her lips, blushing furiously and her eyes darting to the table where Gene sat, his back turned to them. "What if—"

"Nobody's watching," Naru said lowly and kissed her again. As he released her, he gazed into her half-lidded eyes, dazed by his behavior. The blush returned to her cheeks.

"Lin's coming," she mumbled softly.

He released her and smirked, touching her chin. "Are you making tea?"

She nodded and turned back to the counter, glancing briefly at Gene's turned form. Even without being able to see his face she knew he was tense. Staring at the tea intently, she pursed her lips, wondering what Naru was thinking as he gazed at her, and what his brother could possibly be thinking, turned away from them.

...

Lin had returned to the flat and the four sat at the kitchen table, Mai drinking her cup of tea leisurely while the men ate hurriedly.

"You're up early today," Lin remarked to Mai.

Mai stuck her lip out at him. "I certainly wasn't going to be _late_, Lin-san."

A small smile turned his lips upwards, holding his hands out in a peaceful gesture. "Just didn't expect you to be here, waiting for us to finish breakfast, is all."

Mai watched Lin's face carefully but she couldn't tell if he knew of her prior meeting with his spirit familiar. She averted her gaze to her tea when she felt Naru's eyes on her. The shiki was loyal to his master and certainly wouldn't keep secrets from Lin—but that didn't mean he'd had a chance to tell him yet, just as she didn't anticipate being able to tell Naru about meeting the spirit before the end of the day.

"What's on your mind?" Naru suddenly asked her, lifting his teacup to his lips.

Mai blushed slightly as all three turned their eyes on her. "Um, I guess it's just been bothering me. What Lin said yesterday about what his shiki said. That there was a spirit following Murata."

"Not just that," Naru said, speaking for her as he could see she was reluctant to elaborate.

Mai looked at the table and shifted in her seat. She knew full well that Naru could always see when she was not telling a whole truth but at the same time she was not ready to divulge her morning conversation with Aahil with the three.

Gene suddenly spoke, diverting the table's attention toward him and Mai felt her face relax with relief. "He said it used to be a boy," he said, spreading jam methodically on his slice of toast. "_Could_ it have been her sister?"

"It's not likely that Aahil would have been mistaken about it being a boy," Lin said thoughtfully. "Of course, there's no guarantee..."

"That's not what I mean, exactly." Gene said pensively, frowning slightly in thought.

"You mean, if she was lying about having a sister?" Lin asked. His voice did not betray the slight look of surprise on his face. "If it was actually her _brother_?"

"We'll find out what we need to know about her sister today." Naru said, and simultaneously drank the last of his tea and lifted his wrist to see his watch. "We need to go," he said, standing. He glanced at his brother, who still had a piece of half-eaten toast on his plate. "Hurry up, Gene."

Mai collected the dishes and took them to the sink, rinsing and putting them into the dishwasher. Lin returned from down the hallway and went to the door, stepping into his shoes and taking his coat. "I'll bring the car around," he said. "I'll expect you down in three minutes."

"Just need to brush my teeth," Gene said, finishing his tea and hopping to his feet, hurrying to follow his brother down the hall to the washroom.

As they returned to the main room, Gene took his brother's arm and pulled him aside, the two standing alone in the dark hallway. "I need to talk to you about the case," he said, "but first... I need to say something. I'm... sorry."

"For not telling me about the vision you had yesterday?" Naru said tersely.

"If I'd thought it was pertinent, I would have mentioned it." Gene retorted. "No." He sighed and his voice dropped. "I'm sorry about this morning. I didn't mean..." He shook his head and sighed. "Just, sorry. I wasn't thinking, I guess."

Naru exhaled and ran his hand through his hair. "No. You shouldn't... you don't need to apologize. I'm not angry with you. If anything, I'm frustrated with myself for feeling this way." He looked up at his brother. "I trust you. I trust Mai. I know... it's not rational."

"Maybe not rational but it's not abnormal." Gene sighed again and shook his head. "But when I shared that vision with Mai... she also shared a vision with me."

Naru's head snapped up, his eyes searching his twin's. "_What_?"

"A dream vision she must've had last night. She doesn't remember it—let alone know that she shared it with me. But there's no mistaking it. It was a vision about the case."

"What did you see?"

Gene shook his head again. "I could only catch glimpses of it. It's so faint and vague that I can't explain. It was a vision of Murata-san after her sister's funeral. I think it must have been the first appearance of the spirit." He spread his hands. "Maybe when we meet her, more pieces will fall into place and I can explain better. But as it is, I just don't know how to explain."

Naru nodded thoughtfully. "What do we tell Mai," he mused aloud.

"You're asking me?" Gene sounded dubious. "You're the one with all the bright ideas, Noll."

Naru shot his brother a sharp look. "Don't say that, _aniki_."

Gene winced at the term. "I'm your younger brother now and you know it."

Naru rolled his eyes. "Cut the drama. You'll always be my older brother."

"You trust me?"

"Of course."

"Even though I'm a boy who was foolish enough to walk into death and leave you behind?"

Naru breathed out sharply through his nose, a sound of disgust and amusement. "Absolutely I trust you, Gene. That will never change." A bitter, sardonic smile twitched at his lips. "I don't think you understand the feelings of a younger brother. I've lived long enough to know I will always compare myself to you. No matter what happens, I'll always think that you have qualities that are beyond my possession." He rested his hand on his twin's shoulder. "You're my _aniki_." He glanced down the hall toward the main room. Mai had returned to the room.

"Lin's getting impatient," she called to them, putting on her gloves. "I know we still have plenty of time, but he's in a no-park zone waiting for you."

Naru turned back to his brother. "Come on. Let's go." He smiled then, something halfway between a grin and a smirk. "We have a case to solve, Gene, and I have to say I'm beginning to feel intrigued."

"As if you weren't before," Gene said, shaking his head and turning to follow his younger brother.

...

Murata Kaori was waiting for them when they arrived, hovering on the inside of a closed gate and stepping out to the street as soon as the car pulled up. Mai noticed immediately that once again she was wearing predominantly black clothes. She wondered how much of it was fashion and how much was mourning.

"Good morning," she greeted them, bowing politely.

"Good morning, Murata-san," Naru greeted her from the front passenger window.

"Oh, please," she flushed slightly. "Just Kaori. Please." She pointed forward on the street. "You can park here for now. Until my parents return."

After the car was parked, the team followed her inside the gate and toward a large traditional house. Kaori led them up a narrow path toward the house, past a fork where an even smaller walkway led to a smaller house, shadowed by the main house. The four stepped up on the first step and following Kaori's lead, stepped out of their shoes as they went up onto the wooden veranda.

Kaori slid open the front doors and the four followed her inside. As soon as she stepped through the entryway and into the house, Mai's eyes began to wander and she had the sudden unexplainable feeling of familiarity. Had she been to a house like this before, she wondered, and what about it was so familiar? She did not notice that Gene took her coat from her after she slowly slipped it from her shoulders, nor that he was watching her with a curious look on his face. While it seemed impossible that she could have visited the house before, already it seemed so familiar. She was aware of Naru asking Kaori to show them around the house but she was distracted by the intense feeling. As they began to walk forward, Mai expected the feeling to fade—but if anything, she became more and more convinced that somehow she'd entered this house before. She closed her eyes and thought she heard the laughter of a child.

She opened her eyes when someone touched her elbow. Gene shook his head and gestured forward. "Not now, Mai," he said in a low voice. "There'll be time for that later."

Kaori led the four around the house, Naru asking questions about the rooms' usages while Gene and Lin looked for places they could place equipment. Mai held a notebook and a thermometer, recording the temperature of each room as they went. The house continued to be familiar as they went. As they entered each room she seemed already to have an idea what would be inside. She was not surprised to see a small grand piano or a painting by the famous artist Yokoyama Taikan in a sitting room.

"It will be difficult to record accurate data without the notice of her parents, definitely," Naru sighed as they finished. The four were waiting in the main entryway as Kaori had left them to retrieve her signed client agreement.

"Lin and I noted only eight places in the house where we could put equipment unobtrusively," Gene reported to his brother. "Besides her bedroom, of course, which will be up to her discretion. The good news is that they're all in the areas she said she would be most likely to pass through or spend time in, such as the hallway connecting her bedroom to the kitchen, the living room and sitting room, et cetera."

"The bad news?" Naru prompted.

"No cameras," Lin said flatly. "There's no way we could possibly hide them. Unless Kaori-san could justify their presence to her parents. Our data would be restricted to audio and temperature. However," Lin paused, "there is one option. It is risky, however, so we would have to discuss with our client. I could cast a spell of suggestion that would encourage people to ignore the cameras."

"Of course," Naru mused, tapping his chin. He looked up at Lin. "How confident are you that it would work?"

Lin shook his head. "It's impossible to say. Certain people have greater sensitivities to spells of suggestion. I would have a better sense if I met her parents. I would also have to monitor it very closely. And if it _did _break, it would be impossible to redo. The jig, as they say, would be up."

"Could you ask your shiki to monitor the spell?" Mai suddenly said. "So it wouldn't break?"

Lin raised an eyebrow. "Yes, I suppose I could. However, bringing the shiki into this house—especially to play such an active role—would most likely disrupt our data collection."

"In other words, the actions of another spirit may change the activity of the one we're trying to find," Gene said to Mai.

Naru spoke. "We could always take that route if necessary." He turned his head as Kaori returned. "Ah, Kaori-san. We're beginning to formulate our plan of action. We'd like to like to sit down and go over it with you."

...

After discussing their plans the four retrieved some equipment from the van and brought it into the house. During the discussion Naru had briefly mentioned that it could be possible to hide the cameras in plain sight from her parents. At this, Kaori had mentioned that her father was planning a business trip for the week and would be leaving the following morning, essentially meaning that they would only have to hide the cameras from her mother. "But how," she had asked, "would you hide them?" Naru had glanced at Lin but evaded giving her an answer, moving on to the next question.

The SPR team set up their various equipment under the curious gaze of Kaori, who hovered anxiously in doorways, watching as they placed microphones and thermographs behind or on the upper out-of-sight areas of shelves and cupboards, behind the piano and even behind indoor plants in several areas. To their surprise they were able to hide the equipment quite well. Kaori attested that her parents probably would not notice and admitted that she herself might forget where the equipment was located as it was out of sight.

As Naru and Gene returned to the van to retrieve the last of the microphones, Gene suddenly stopped, standing very still. His brother stopped as well, watching him. He appeared to be listening to something or to some_one_, and the short nod he gave seemed to confirm Naru's assumptions.

Gene turned toward Kaori, who was standing on the veranda, about to step down into her shoes. "What's that building over there used for?" He asked, pointing toward the smaller house that was on the other side of the garden, separate from the main house.

Kaori's eyes followed his gaze. "Oh, it's a guest house, of sorts. My mother's family stays there when they visit during the summer or during New Years. But it's usually empty."

Gene glanced at his brother. "Would it be appropriate to ask if we could use it for our investigation?"

Kaori looked confused, shifting on her feet. "It wouldn't be a problem, but I don't understand why."

"On all of our investigations we set up a base where we can regroup and monitor the equipment," Naru said. "One of the challenges of your house is that we do not have such a place. However, if we could use a room in the guest house..."

"Oh," Kaori said. "Of course. And my parents hardly ever go in there, so as long as they didn't see you..."

"We shall be utterly discreet," Gene promised.

"I'll go get the keys," Kaori said, and turned back toward the house, hurrying inside.

"It shouldn't be a problem, not to be noticed there," Lin said, coming up behind the twins with a box of cables and wires held under his arm.

"You'll cast a spell?" Naru asked, and Lin nodded. "Good," he said. "I'm glad we don't have to resort to finding a hotel nearby." He glanced at his brother. "I'm glad you asked. Intuition?"

Gene shook his head with an apologetic smile. "Hardly," he replied, and his brother raised his eyebrows. "Lin's shiki came by and suggested it."

Naru then turned his eyes toward Lin, who gave a slight, wry smile in response to his questioning gaze. "I noticed it when we came in and asked Aahil to take a look around. He indicated it may be available and I thought she'd be more receptive to Gene's asking, rather than mine. Or even yours, for that matter," he added. "Not that she'd turn you down, of course, Noll, but I thought it would be better this way."

"I'm not complaining," Naru said shortly.

"What can I say," Gene joked quietly, spreading his hands. "I have a certain charm about me."

Mai came outside, stopping as she saw the three men standing there. "We're using the other house as a base, then?" she asked. "Does that mean we'll be spending the night?"

"Probably. We'll have to make sure it's all right with Kaori-san. Where is she?" Naru asked.

"Right behind me," Mai said, turning her head and looking over her shoulder. In a moment, the girl in question appeared.

As Kaori returned Naru gestured toward the side house. "Mai and Lin, I'd like you to go with Kaori-san and set up the base. We'll fininsh setting up the equipment in the house."

"Roger that," Mai grinned, and she and the tall Chinese man followed Kaori down the side path toward the guest house.

...

As Lin and Mai were setting up the base, Mai waited until Kaori had left before glancing sideways at Lin. "Lin-san," she began. "Your shiki, Aahil..."

"Ah, yes," Lin said, not looking up as he connected cables to the monitors. "He told me you met this morning."

"I don't really understand," Mai confessed. "Masako said once that your shiki were like empty spirits. But Aahil isn't like that."

"No." Lin agreed. "Aahil is the exception. I don't believe Masako ever saw him."

"He said that he owes you," Mai said slowly, her interest getting the better of her. "Well, not exactly. But in a manner of speaking."

Lin's lips twitched. "He said that? Curious." He finished attaching the last cable and rose to his full height, turning toward her. His eyes were apologetic as he met her expectant gaze. "I can see that you want to know what happened, Mai-san, though I'm afraid now is not a good time to tell you. I'm not even sure you would be interested if I began. It's a long story. And it was a long time ago."

"I guess you probably don't want to tell me," Mai said quietly, turning back to the shelving she was assembling. "I know it's not really my business, either. But I would be happy if you told me."

Lin's eyes softened and he nodded, turning back to his work. "I'll consider it, Mai-san. If there's ever an appropriate time, I'll tell you."

"It's a deal," Mai grinned, giggling in spite of herself as she remembered how different her relationship with Lin had been during the first cases of SPR—the first time around. They never could have spoken like this back then. Worried that he would think she was laughing at him, she continued. "So, does Aahil help out on cases?"

"He can," Lin began slowly, crossing the room and helping her with the shelves. "But he has his own limitations. Just as a medium may not always sense spirits, Aahil may not see them either. He is often more human than the spirits we encounter on cases, and therefore has no advantage. And I often cannot ask him to even enter a case area. Because he is perceived as both a human and a specter, the spirits tend to be even more wary of him. Aahil does not have the experience nor has he the training in speaking with distraught spirits, as Gene and Masako do. And as you may suspect, he is not Japanese, and has no familiarity on the behavior of Japanese spirits."

Mai nodded, wondering what advantage Lin had by keeping this shiki in his service. "Did Naru know about Aahil—last time?" Mai asked, not sure what prompted her question.

Lin raised an eyebrow at her. "As a matter of fact, no. Not at this time. He thought Aahil was like the other shiki."

Mai pressed her lips together. "When... when did he find out?"

He sighed. "It was at the lake, Mai-san, if you must know."

"But Gene knew?"

Lin nodded slowly. "Even though he could not see him. He knew he was different."

Mai's hands stilled. "Why.. why do you think he can see him now?"

Lin shrugged, turning his head away. "There is a lot about Gene's abilities that I do not fully understand, Mai. Gene's or Naru's. Perhaps it is only a natural progression. Or perhaps having died and come back to life has something to do with it."

"Then why can _I_ see him?"

"I assume because Gene can." He finished the last segment of the shelf and stood up, signalling their conversation was at its end. "Let's move this across the room. Behind the desk, I think."

Mai nodded, knowing that she should be thinking about the Murata case, but instead, her mind was teeming with questions about Naru and Gene. What did Lin mean, that he did not understand _either _Naru or Gene's abilities? She glanced at him, falling into her once-common habit of putting her index finger at her lips, nibbling on her finger tip.

"Mai-san," Lin suddenly said, and she snapped to attention.

"Yes?"

"Focus on the case." His eyes were kind, even if he did not smile. "I need you to help me put the equipment on the shelves."

Mai flushed with embarrassment, ashamed and feeling very much like a fifteen-year old again, chastised by an adult. "Sorry. I'm on it."

...

Meanwhile, Naru and Gene had finished at the house. Naru was studying a piece of paper, his fingers drumming against his thigh as he thought. Lin had sketched a floor plan of the house to mark where the equipment was located.

"It's not ideal," he finally said, exhaling. "But it'll have to do for now."

"How long will you know if it's enough, before you put up the cameras?" Kaori asked.

"We'll wait at least one day." Gene said. "Since it's risky, with your parents, we'll only put them up if it appears necessary."

"We will continually re-evaluate our strategy, depending on the data," Naru added.

Lin and Mai returned to the room, Mai giving the three a huge grin and a thumbs-up. "All systems normal. The readings are all coming in on the computer, so we're all set."

Lin lifted his hand, checking his watch. "I should probably go now." He turned toward the twins. "I'll move the van. There was a shopping center a few blocks away. When I return I'll go to the base and monitor the equipment from there."

Naru nodded. "We'll call if we need anything."

As Lin left, Kaori glanced between Mai and the twins. "Um," she started. "What do you need to do now?"

Mai glanced at the twins before speaking. "Actually, Kaori-san," she started, "we'd like to ask you some more questions about your sister."

Kaori's face tightened but she nodded. "Yes... yes, I understand. Perhaps we'd better go sit down. I'll make some tea."

...

Gene and Naru were waiting in the sitting room, alone. Mai had gone with Kaori to prepare the tea.

"Well?" Naru asked his brother expectantly.

Gene shook his head. "I haven't seen her sister. If she's here, I can't see her. And I don't sense much of anything, either. I know that doesn't mean anything, this early in the case, but..." His voice trailed off and he frowned. "But I think Mai did. Maybe it was related to her vision from last night. Did you see her, when we entered the house this morning?"

"I thought she seemed a little out of it," Naru admitted. He shook his head. "I was distracted. That's all."

"I think she'd have a vision if we let her wander around the house alone."

"Or if we let her fall asleep."

Gene nodded. "The question is if you want to do that right away..."

Naru shook his head, his lips tightening. "Mai will slip into something unexpected no matter what. There's no reason to push her in that direction. Not yet." He turned his head as the girls returned. Kaori walked in front, carrying a teapot in one hand and two nestled cups in her other. Mai, behind her, carried the other two cups.

"So," Kaori began, setting the teacups first onto the low table in front of them and then pouring the amber-colored liquid into them. "What exactly do you need to know?"

Naru glanced at Gene and then toward Mai. "Let's start with how your sister died. You said it was probably an accident."

Kaori's shoulders immediately stiffened. Mai could see that she was tense, obviously uncomfortable to discuss her sister's death. She sighed, then, with resignation. "Yes," she said, and the hard look in her eyes became pained, less defensive. "She overdosed." Kaori looked at her hands. "I should probably start at the beginning, though. Because everything began to change between us a few months before she died. And I don't want you to get the wrong idea about her."

"You said you began to grow apart," Naru began. "That you had different friends. Is that when things changed?"

Kaori nodded. "I didn't approve of some of the crowd she was starting to hang with." She flushed slightly, as if embarrassed by what she was about to say and how it would reflect upon her. "I guess you would say they were border-line delinquents. Skipping school once a while and underage drinking and smoking. But I don't think they really had much trouble with the law. It was just... little stuff." She pursed her lips. "But there was this guy she was seeing. He was different. I didn't like him." Kaori smiled bitterly.

"What was his name?"

"Yoshimasa Itaru." Her eyes followed Naru's movements as he reached for his cup of tea. "Honestly, I didn't know him that well because he was in the class above us but I'd _heard _enough about him. He had a reputation. It didn't happen at first, but I knew it would eventually. I knew when she'd started smoking," she continued, "mostly... cigarettes, but sometimes other stuff." She shook her head. "I didn't like it, but what could I do? I told her my opinion, but she didn't want to hear it. But I never knew she'd started doing anything more. Other drugs. I couldn't say when it happened. I would have said something, or gone to Mother and Father."

"They didn't know?" Naru asked. "About her smoking?"

She shook her head. "I'm sure they never even suspected. She was acing all her classes and she still spent half of her free time practicing." She sighed. "Even when things started changing between us, she still loved to play her violin. Her friends couldn't take _that_ away from her."

"She was good?" Gene asked.

Kaori smiled sadly. "The best at our school."

"Do you think it was the influence of her friends, that she began using drugs?" Naru asked.

Kaori shook her head. "Only her boyfriend. They all smoked but only cigarettes. But everyone knew his older brother was a dealer. He'd dropped out of school three years ago but anyone who did anything at our school still got it from him." Her fingers tightened around the hem of her sweater. "I'm sure it's his fault. And he left our school. That proves it, doesn't it?"

"What happened?" Naru asked, curiosity audible in his voice.

Kaori closed her eyes, thinking. "The day after she died... Thursday. I heard he was at school, before anyone heard what happened. But that was the last day." She shook her head. "Someone said he went to live with his mother in Kanazawa. He probably didn't want to be questioned about Natsumi's death." She laughed bitterly, the sound sharp in the otherwise quiet room. "Not that the police could touch him. He's from a powerful family. I'm sure he was the one who gave her the pills. He was probably with her at the club and left her when he realized what happened, left her to be found by the cleaners. But they'll never put any blame on him for it. How could they? She took the pills herself."

Naru nodded slightly but he had a pensive look on his face. His eyes flicked toward his phone as the device beeped quietly, sitting on the table in front of him.

"Message from Lin-san," Mai said quietly, also looking at her own phone in her hand. "Seems like your parents have returned."

Kaori frowned, glancing at the clock. "I didn't realize it had become so late." She sighed and took out a notebook. "I told them yesterday that I would have classmates over to discuss a school project, so they shouldn't be surprised to see you. My dad should be getting ready for his business trip and my mother usually likes to visit friends on Sunday afternoons, so I'm sure they'll leave us alone."

They could hear the front door open and footsteps entered the house. "Kaori?" A woman's voice called. "Kaori, are you in here?" The door to the living room slid open, a woman standing on the other side. Her mother looked surprised. "Oh, I'm sorry, dear, I didn't realize you had guests."

Kaori looked tired. "Remember, Mom? I said yesterday that some of my classmates were coming over to work on a school project."

"Oh, yes, that's right, well..." the woman's voice trailed off as she looked to the door behind her. There were voices in the hall approaching her, and the woman looked worried. "Well, maybe now's not a good time..." She couldn't seem to decide what to do, however, and her indecisiveness proved enough time for the approaching people to appear. Beside her in the doorway a middle-aged man appeared—obviously Kaori's father—but next to him was a young blonde man.

Mai would have stumbled backwards in shock if she hadn't been sitting. Naru controlled his surprise and shot Mai a warning look, who managed to hide her boggled expression before anyone else noticed.

"—her classmates, working on a school project," Kaori's mother was explaining to her father.

"Kaori, this is John Brown. Father Ogawa introduced us to him. He thought it would be good for you to meet."

"Nice to meet you," John said amicably, smiling brightly. "Mind if I join you? I may not be in school anymore, but maybe I can help you with your project."

Kaori opened her mouth to speak, her expression instantly indignant and annoyed, but Gene spoke first. "Please do, Brown-san. We can always use new opinions in our discussion."

The mother seemed relieved. Her eyes swept over the table, seeing their teacups. "I'll bring a fresh pot of tea and some cake."

John stepped across the room, taking a seat next to the twins. As he sat he looked at Mai curiously, unsure whether or not to speak. "Aren't you... did we meet before?"

"Um," Mai started, glancing at Naru. "Yeah, I think so... um, you were there, on the street, and helped me up when I slipped."

John's eyes brightened with recognition. "Ah! Yes! Forgive me for forgetting. I hope you're all right. I'm John Brown. Please take care of me," he said politely.

"Taniyama Mai. Likewise," Mai said. "It's nice to meet you."

"I am Shibuya Kazuya," Naru said, dipping his head in greeting.

"Shibuya Ichirou," Gene supplied with a grin.

Kaori's mother returned to the room with a tray. There was an extra teacup for John and five plates with a slice of a Swiss roll cake on each. She poured fresh tea and passed out the cake. The woman was obviously nervous and left as quickly as she had appeared.

John glanced behind him to make sure the mother was out of earshot before turning back to the three. "Let me speak frankly, please," he said, picking up the plate and portioning off a small bite of cake with his fork. "You're not here for a school project, are you?"

Kaori looked shocked, opening her mouth to retort, but Naru held up his hand to quiet her. His expression was calm as he lowered the teacup from his lips. "You're right, Brown-san. And now I can only assume you're here for the same reason we are."

"How did you know?" Kaori blurted.

John smiled apologetically. "I saw your advertisement in the paper," he said, directing the statement toward the twins. "Your office just recently opened, did it not?"

Naru nodded, glancing between his brother and Mai before returning his gaze to John. "Correct."

John set his fork down on the plate, the cake nearly half eaten, and reached for his cup of tea. "Your mother," he started, nodding toward Kaori, "told Father Ogawa that you were acting strangely and that you claimed a ghost was following you."

"She doesn't believe me," Kaori muttered bitterly. "I can't believe she would even admit to such a thing."

John held up his hands gently. "She may not believe in such things, Kaori-san, but we do, and we take such things very seriously." He turned toward the twins. "What do you say we work together, Shibuya-san, Shibuya-san?" He flushed with embarrassment. "I don't know how to address you. My Japanese classes never mentioned meeting twins."

"Ichirou and Kazuya is just fine," Gene said with a smile. "And yes. We'd be happy to work together."

The SPR team may have been content to let John into their investigation but Kaori did not seem as pleased. "Natsumi went to church even less than I did." Kaori muttered, frowning. "I don't know why Mother thinks a priest can help."

John opened his mouth but Naru spoke first. "That may be so, Kaori-san, but it never hurts to have more experienced people working on a case with a dangerous spirit." He looked as though he was going to continue when Gene gave a small twitch of his head, and the door slid open again.

"Sorry to interrupt again," her mother said. "Kaori, your father and I are going to visit the Tsuchida's. We'll be out about an hour or so. Are you and your friends going to eat lunch?"

"We'll figure something out, Mother," Kaori said.

"Okay," the mother said, and bowed to the rest of the group as she left. "Please make yourselves at home." The door slid shut again and John looked at Naru.

"Would you show me your equipment?" He asked, and Naru gave a half-nod, half-shrug.

"Now is a good a time as any," he said, and stood. Gene followed the two, leaving Mai and Kaori sitting alone.

"Kaori-san," Mai began slowly, lowering her tea, "would it be all right if I asked you if anyone else in your family has died?"

Kaori looked surprised. "Well, actually, we did have a younger brother. He died when he was three."

"How long ago was that?"

Kaori paused, considering. "It would have been... almost eight years ago. He was five years younger than Natsumi and I."

"Could you tell me how he died?" Mai asked.

"Traffic accident." Kaori said shortly, and then frowned slightly. "But I'm not sure why this matters.."

"It may not. Thank you for telling me anyway," Mai said quickly.

"You really don't mind a priest inviting himself into your investigation?" Kaori asked. "I mean... I guess if you don't mind, it's okay. And I do... want it resolved, no matter what."

Mai smiled at the girl. "We don't mind. It's as you say. We want it resolved. The quicker the better, right? Brown-san has his own experiences to draw from and he may think of things that we don't." She turned her head as the three young men returned.

"If you don't mind, we have just a few more questions for you, Kaori-san," Naru said, bending to pick up his notepad as he sat. "You said that your sister was doing well in school. Can you recall if she seemed stressed about anything?"

Kaori shook her head. "I honestly didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. She was more excited for Christmas than I'd ever seen before, but that's just because she had a boyfriend." Kaori made a slight face, as if to show that she was disgusted but Mai knew the girl was actually jealous. "Of all things, she knit him a scarf. How stereotypical can you get?"

"You don't happen to know if he got her anything?" Mai asked.

The jealous and annoyed look grew. "He bought her a bracelet." Kaori shook her head and the look disappeared, replaced by sadness. "She didn't skip class very often and she never missed a lesson. She didn't seem to be spending as much time with her group of friends. Maybe she was spending more time with _him_. But honestly, the last week before she died..." Kaori's voice trailed off as she paused, her eyebrows pulling together as she tried to blink away tears. "Things seemed normal again, at least more normal than they'd been. I was hoping maybe she'd lose interest in him and things would just go back to the way they were."

Mai nodded sympathetically. "I'm so sorry, Kaori-san."

Kaori shrugged, looking away and composing herself. "I really don't think it was suicide, if that's what you're wondering. Some of my relatives may want to justify it and say that she was troubled but I just _can't_ see it that way. Of course, there's no way to know for sure, but..." She shook her head again. "Accidents happen."

Naru glanced at his brother, giving a slight nod. "Thank you for answering all of our questions," Gene said, tipping his head. "We appreciate your honesty. I don't think there's anything more right now."

"I think we should head back to base now, to check the data readings," Naru said, and turned toward John. "You're welcome to join us."

"Let me take these to the kitchen for you," Mai said, gathering the teacups and plates, stacking them neatly on the tray.

"Oh—" Kaori opened her mouth to protest, but finally nodded. "Okay. Sorry for the trouble."

"It's no problem," Mai said with a grin and left the room, carefully holding the tray.

The four had been speaking when Gene suddenly stilled. Naru stopped mid-sentence, noticing the change in his brother's features.

"There's something..." he began quietly, his eyes unfocused. Kaori, seeing his face coupled with his words, drew in her breath, her eyes growing wide with fear.

Naru's phone buzzed and he lifted it to his ear. "Lin," he said swiftly. "What is it?"

"The temperature in the kitchen just dropped 11 degrees." Lin's voice sounded far away. "Static just started on the sound monitors—"

But Naru was already out of the room, rushing down the hall. "Mai," he whispered under his breath. "Idiot!"

...

Mai had just set the tray of empty teacups and dessert plates on the the kitchen counter when she felt a tingling sensation at the base of her spine and the hair at the back of her neck began to rise. The room, too, seemed colder than it had been when she'd entered. "Lin-san will see the change on the monitors," she thought calmly. She heard a sound behind her and she turned. The noise was coming from the cupboards on the opposite side of the room, the contents inside rattling against each other and the doors themselves shaking on their hinges as if begging to be opened.

_Who are you_, Mai suddenly heard, and though she had been preparing herself for any sort of supernatural appearance, gasped in spite of herself. _Why are you here?_

She felt as though someone had opened a freezer door in front of her: a wave of cold air suddenly blowing over her, and she reeled backwards in shock. Instinctively she covered her face, her fingers forming the protective _mudra_ that Monk had once taught her and readying herself for _kuji-kiri_—the nine cuts—if necessary.

_Why? _The voice demanded again, and Mai felt herself stumbling forward as her vision turned black.

...

"Sure is quiet up here," a girl's voice said.

Mai opened her eyes, blinking as she focused on the scene in front of her. She recognized immediately that she seemed to be on the roof of a school. Two teenagers were standing by the chain-link fence that lined the edge, a girl and a boy. They were both in school uniforms, though the boy's jacket was slung over his arm and his tie was loose around his neck.

"And what a beautiful day," the girl continued, lifting her head to gaze at the sky. She sighed contentedly and closed her eyes. "Practically still feels like summer."

The boy reached in his pocket and retrieved a pack of cigarettes, lighting up and then holding out one to the girl.

The girl was obviously hesitant. "I don't know, Itaru-kun. At school? I mean, cutting class is bad enough..."

"Oh, c'mon, Natsumi," the boy said, grinning at her. He was handsome in an unruly sort of way and it was obvious that Natsumi was completely susceptible to his charming smile. She slowly reached out and took the cigarette, smiling shyly. He lit it with his lighter.

"Atta girl," Itaru said, and putting his arm around her shoulders he lifted his gaze to the sky. "Man, what a beautiful day."

...

The door to the kitchen was open and Naru rushed inside, thinking of the hundreds of possible consequences of his actions and rationalizing that none of them were very probable. Mai lay crumpled on the floor but the kitchen was otherwise still as he flew to her side. "Mai," he whispered, his hands cradling her head.

"I think she only fainted," Gene said from behind him. "She'll come to in a moment." He hadn't even realized his brother had been on his heels and he felt the sting of embarrassment at his loss of focus. Gene seemed to know what he was thinking because he scoffed at him. "Don't be ridiculous, Noll, we were all worried—" his words stopped abruptly and he looked up, staring hard at something his brother could not see.

"Aahil," Gene finally said quietly. "Lin sent you?"

"As soon as he realized it was Taniyama alone in the kitchen," the shiki replied. "But the spirit left before I arrived." He nodded toward Mai on the floor. "It was a small shock. She'll be all right. She didn't hit her head when she fell."

"Does that mean..." Gene's words trailed off before he started again. "You were here when she fainted?"

The spirit familiar nodded toward Gene and then glanced at the brother, who was staring at his twin with deep scrutiny. "I have nothing to add, so I will go. My Master only wanted me to be here if necessary." As he spoke, the shiki disappeared.

Gene turned toward his brother, an apologetic look in his eyes. "He's gone. He said he didn't see the spirit."

"What else—" Naru began, but stopped as he felt movement as Mai turned her head. She opened her eyes blearily, blinking slowly.

As Mai opened her eyes she realized immediately she was on the floor, her head propped up and gently held in someone's hands. Naru looked down at her, his expression concerned, relieved and eager all at once. _What happened,_ his eyes were asking her, but she wanted to ask him the same thing.

"Ugh," she groaned. "I'm on the floor."

Gene let out a relieved laugh and Naru's lips twitched in a smile. "So it would seem. What happened?"

Mai closed her eyes. "I heard a voice. _Who are you_, it asked me, and _why are you here_."

"What did you see?"

She shook her head. "The spirit was so hazy.. it was hard to distinguish. I couldn't see anything definitive about it. I just heard the voice." She opened her eyes and began to sit up. "I'm okay," she told the twins. Suddenly noticing that both Kaori and John were standing in the doorway, the latter with her mouth hanging open, she repeated herself. "I'm okay."

"You fainted," Gene said frowning and sounding worried. "Did it attack you?"

She shook her head again. "No. Not this time." She frowned, considering. "It was hostile, but more confused than anything. Maybe even.. scared."

"But you think next time it would attack?" Naru asked seriously.

Mai bit her lip. "I don't know. Maybe." She sighed and shook her head as if to clear it. "Let's go back to base. I want to see if Lin picked up anything on the mics."

...

However, the recordings picked up on the microphones in kitchen did not offer any further illumination. Kaori and John looked around the room curiously, studying their base, while Naru and Gene pondered over the readings from the thermographs and and Lin continued to watch the monitors.

"It seems to suddenly spring up from the kitchen," Gene was saying pensively. "There's absolutely no fluctuation in any other room."

"You mean, it saw its target immediately and went there." Naru did not sound worried, but his voice was utterly serious.

"It seems that way," Gene muttered. "I think it's identified us as a group. It knows that we're outsiders, but more than that it knows we're there for Kaori-san. Mai was singled out because she went to the kitchen alone. It probably wanted to make its presence known to her—to us."

"To frighten us off," Naru mused.

Mai couldn't listen. She felt disgruntled, tired and ravenous. It was, after all, approaching mid-afternoon and all they'd eaten since breakfast was the swiss roll cake with their tea.

"Let's go back to the house and eat something," Kaori said sympathetically, hearing Mai's stomach rumble. "I'm hungry too." She turned toward Lin. "Lin-san, have you eaten?"

The Chinese man dipped his head apologetically. "I have. I'm fine, but thank you."

She then turned to John. "You're welcome to join us, Brown-san."

"Thank you," John said with a bright smile, noticing Kaori's change toward him.

With that they returned to the main house. Noticing that Mai's hands were shaking, Gene instructed her to sit down and wait while they prepared the food. Lunch turned out to be a mixed collection from the Murata's refrigerator and freezer: dumplings, pizza-flavored breadsticks and a tossed vegetable salad, complemented with fresh rice that Kaori put in the rice cooker.

"Sorry it's not a whole lot," Kaori said, looking somewhat embarrassed. "Usually I just eat whatever. There's chips and cookies in the cupboard too, if you're still hungry."

"No, it was good," Mai said, leaning back in her chair with her tea. She felt much better after the food, the dull tired feeling that had been clouding her mind finally easing away. "Thank you very much."

Naru had been quiet all through lunch, listening to the small talk between the others. "Kaori-san," he began. "Your sister's violin—may we see it?"

Kaori nodded and the four followed her from the dining room into the sitting room with the piano. She reached underneath the piano and picked up a violin case, setting it on top of the piano as she opened the clasps.

"You play piano, don't you Kaori-san?" Mai asked.

Kaori nodded. "I do.. but I really haven't been practicing much recently."

Gene ran his hand gently over the top of the smooth polished wood. "Did Natsumi-san also play?"

She nodded again. "As children, we always played together. She didn't really practice anymore, after she got serious about violin. But she still liked to play a little bit." Her gaze slipped from the room as her eyes unfocused. "Even when we stopped spending time together at school, when we had different friends... sometimes, when I was practicing, she would come in here to listen. She really liked this Chopin etude I was learning at the time."

Naru gestured toward the piano. "Would you play that for us? Please?"

Kaori hesitated but stepped toward the piano, lifting the key cover. "I haven't played it in a few weeks," she warned, but sat down and began to play.

As she played the piece, Naru touched the violin case carefully, picking up the instrument and turning it in his hands before placing it gently back into the velvet case. There was a small pocket covered by a flap in the top of the case, which he slid his fingers into and retrieved a small folder piece of paper. Rather than unfolding it, he slipped it into his pocket.

Kaori stopped playing when they heard the sound of the front door opening, dropping her hands into her lap. "My parents must be back." She shrugged slightly as she stood. "Let's go back to the other room. We can't really pretend to work on a project in here."

They had only just sat down in the other room when Kaori's mother appeared at the door, twisting her wedding ring around her finger nervously. "Ah, Kaori?" she said, "I need to speak to you a moment."

Kaori sighed and followed her mother into the hallway, sliding the door shut behind them. Gene found himself closing his eyes and following them with his awareness without a second's hesitation.

"What is it?" Kaori said, sounding annoyed.

Her mother frowned at her, disturbed by her tone. "Ritsuko called me while we were out. You know her due date is soon, right? She's not feeling well and was hoping I could come and take care of the boys for a bit, and help out around the house. What with Hiroaki-san's work and all."

"Oh." Kaori almost sounded relieved. "Ok."

Her mother looked anxious. "I thought I would go. I hate to leave you alone, with your father's trip... You don't mind?"

"No, it's fine."

The woman bit her lip, looking at her daughter. "I can always come back sooner, but I thought I'd stay until Thursday. It's only Yamanashi.."

The daughter shrugged. "It's just the school week, Mom. You don't need to stay here. Go help Aunt Ritsuko. You were going to go tonight?"

Her mother nodded and hesitated again before speaking, changing the subject. "Have you been able to talk to Brown-san?"

"Not really," Kaori lied. "We're still working on our project."

Her mother nodded. It was obvious that she was worried about her daughter, even if Kaori was blind to the fact and she didn't know how to express her feelings or how to address the current situation. "I hope you'll talk to him, Kaori. Call him something this week, okay? I think he can help you."

"Okay," Kaori said shortly, knowing full well she would indeed see him, even if she didn't call.

"Anway." Her mother sighed, sounding resigned. "I'll be back on Thursday, at the latest. I'll call you every night."

Gene opened his eyes. "Her mother is going out of town," he informed the table.

John looked somewhat startled but Naru simply nodded. "How very convenient for us," he remarked. "We'll be able to use the cameras after all."

...

Shortly after Kaori returned to the room John stood, apologizing that he had to leave. "We should return to base as well," Naru said, standing. "There's some more research we should attend to and there's the matter of getting Gene and Mai into your school tomorrow."

"_Jin_?" Kaori asked, tilting her head with a puzzled look, articulating the name with a more Japanese pronunciation.

Naru could have cursed at his slip, instantly berating himself for being so careless. His brother, however, just laughed. "My nickname," he explained to Kaori. Seeing that she wanted him to elaborate, he continued. "It's a long story."

"Habit," Naru said through a tight jaw, not failing to notice the way John was watching the two curiously.

"Just the way we call him Naru," Mai teased in a singsong voice. "_Naru_ for Narcissistic! It's so apt that I can never remember to call him Kazuya-san."

As much as he loathed the fact that both of their identities had been revealed—in a way, at least—Naru could see that this had drawn the attention away from his blunder. "Really?" Kaori was asking, looking both dubious and surprised.

"You may not have noticed yet, but he's actually _terribly _narcissistic," Mai said. "He's egotistical and arrogant, self-centered and pretentious..."

He frowned at her. "Mai," he warned.

"Yes sir," she giggled and stopped, giving a wink to Kaori. The girl giggled, too.

"Only Ichirou-san and Taniyama-san are going to the school?" John asked.

"Lin and I will monitor any activity remotely," Naru said. "We thought it prudent not to draw too much attention at the school, as twin transfer students certainly would."

"Ah," John said understandingly, nodding in agreement. "I see your point."

"I'll go make sure my parents won't notice when you go to the other house," Kaori said, turning to leave. As if suddenly remembering her manners, she bowed at John. "It was very nice to meet you, Brown-san."

John returned the gesture. "Likewise, Kaori-san. I hope we'll meet again soon." He turned to Naru. "You have my contact information. Please call me if there's anything I can do. Otherwise, I'll plan on seeing you tomorrow afternoon."

The four left the house, Naru and Gene slipping on their shoes and stepping down to the walkway. Naru immediately strode forward, hands in his pockets.

Behind them, Mai was lacing up her shoes on the veranda. She winced as she saw Naru stalk off, knowing that even though he would never admit it, what she had said had hurt his feelings.

John was standing on the walkway in front of her but he did not turn toward the front gate to leave. "Taniyama-san," he instead started tentatively.

Mai looked up from her shoes and was struck again by how young he appeared. "What is it?"

John flushed slightly, a pink spreading across his pale cheeks. He glanced to the side to make sure the twins were out of earshot. "I don't know why, but I feel like I've forgotten something. Something I should apologize for." He gazed at her earnestly. "If there's anything... Whatever it is... I'm sorry." He shrugged, running his hand across the back of his neck. "I guess that's all I'm trying to say."

"Don't be silly," Mai said, but her throat seemed tight and her voice unnaturally high. "There's nothing for you to apologize for, John-san." At this she blushed deeply and corrected herself. "I'm sorry, Brown-san."

"No, it's okay," John said quickly, smiling. "You can call me John. I'd prefer it if you did. Actually," and as he spoke, Mai felt a warmth spread across her chest. "Can I call you Mai-san as well?"

"Yes," Mai said, failing to keep the grin from spreading wide across her cheeks. "I'd like that."

"Well then," John said with a smile. "I'll see you tomorrow, Mai-san."

"Bye-bye," Mai said, waving as she stepped down from the house and watched as he left the gate. She exhaled slightly and looked toward the side house where Naru and Gene were disappearing inside. "They could have waited," she muttered, and hurried down the path to follow them.

...

Gene spoke as he slid the door shut behind them. "What are you thinking?"

Naru raised an eyebrow at his twin, stepping out of his shoes once more as they entered the house. "You can't tell?"

The elder brother snorted, placing his own shoes on the rack. "Don't give me that, Noll. If I wanted to guess or suppose I wouldn't ask you."

Standing in the entrance hall, Naru was silent, a small frown crossing his features as he thought. "Do you think it's the sister?" He finally asked his brother.

Gene spread his hands. "It seems likely, doesn't it? Heck of a coincidence if it isn't."

Naru nodded, fingering the folded piece of paper in his pocket. "True. The timing of her sister's death. And there's every reason for her sister to believe her death was Kaori's fault and to want retribution for it."

Gene nodded. "Kaori was certainly disapproving and she _did_ warn her sister about that boy, at the very least, if not his crowd." He frowned. "And yet... I can't see how it could be. To blame her sister for it all? It's a bit of a stretch."

"The blame could stem from the fact that her twin is still alive while she is dead," Naru pointed out. "Logical rationalization is rather rare in the spiritual world."

"True," his brother agreed. He pointed impatiently at his brother's hand, which held the piece of paper at his side. "Are you going to open that or what, Noll?"

Naru smirked at his twin and began to unfold the paper. "Patience, Gene," he said, and held the unfolded paper between them so that they could both read it.

_Sis - I know things have been different lately, and I'm sorry. I want things to go back to the way they were before. I want us to be friends again._

It was obvious that there had been additional writing on the paper, but the pencil had been erased and was impossible to decipher.

"Who wrote it?" Gene asked.

His brother frowned, fingering the edges of the paper. "It's hard to tell," he said slowly, "There's a lot of regret and lonliness attached to this paper, but none of the bitterness I would expect from Kaori. If I had to guess I would think it was Natsumi."

"Hmm," Gene said, tapping his chin. He turned as the front door slid open and Mai stepped inside.

"Hello," she said, stepping out of her shoes. "Were you waiting for me?"

"Not really," Naru said, and Mai's lips pursed at his brusque manner. Gene, noticing the tense atmosphere, rolled his eyes at his brother, as if to say _how dumb can you be_. His twin seemed to sense the words anyway and shot his older brother a glare. _Stay out of it_, his eyes said.

"Naru, can I talk to you a second?" Mai sighed, shifting her weight and hoping that Naru wasn't going to insist on his brother's audience for what was about to transpire.

"Gene can—" Naru started, but his brother was already walking away down the hall.

"I'm going to check in with Lin," Gene said over his shoulder and the two stood in silence, looking at each other until they heard Gene's footsteps die away and the faint sound of a door opening and closing.

"Look, I'm sorry about what I said," Mai blurted. "Obviously I wasn't really thinking when I said it and if I'd thought you'd take it seriously I wouldn't have said it at all."

"It's fine," Naru said stiffly. "It's for the best that you said what you did. I'd rather John and Kaori remember that I am _Naru _rather than Ichirou as _Gene_."

"Yes, but—" Mai stomped her foot, frustrated. "Obviously it's _not_ fine, Naru. If I hurt your feelings I want you to say so, so I can apologize. I want us to be _honest_ with each other."

"My _feelings _have nothing to do with it," Naru said coolly. "And I can see you care so much about being truthful, as you were quite sincere before."

"You _know _I was just saying that. You know I don't think you're as arrogant as I said!"

"Well, you certainly had us all deceived."

"It may be true that when we first met, I _did_ think those things about you," she admitted. "But it was only because you fooled me."

He narrowed his eyes. "So it's my fault?"

"Argh," Mai ground out, "You are being particularly stubborn, _Oliver_."

The use of his real name stopped Naru before he had a chance to retort, and Mai stepped toward him, taking his face in her hands and rising to her tiptoes to kiss him deeply. "I will never call you Naru again if you really think I'm calling you narcissistic," she promised quietly. "If deep down you think I'm actually insulting you or that it means somehow that I love you any less." She kissed him again aggressively, pushing him against the wall. He responded by pulling her close to him, his hands holding her small waist, massaging the flesh there and daring to slip lower.

"Say that again," he breathed, his eyes closing as her lips trailed along his jaw.

"I love you," she whispered, nibbling at his ear. "Don't forget it, Oliver."

A true smile spread to his lips and he chuckled, shaking his head. "It's too strange to hear you call me that." He kissed her lips one last time and stepped away from her. "We'd better stop. Any longer and I won't be able to resist you."

"And what would be wrong with that?" Mai frowned, sticking out her lower lip in a pretend pout.

He raised an eyebrow and smirked at her. "Well, it's not terribly professional, is it." His eyes softened slightly and he leaned forward, placing his hands at her cheeks and kissing her forehead. "Thank you, Mai. Let's get to base before we give them a chance to speculate."

Mai giggled. "What would be wrong with that?" She repeated with a coy grin. "We're all _adults_, Naru. Surely—"

"Maybe so, but that's not why we're here." Naru retrieved the piece of paper from his pocket and passed it to her as they walked down the hall. "What do you think about that?"

Mai read it and frowned, her eyes moving over the words. "Natsumi wrote this?"

"That's the current assumption, yes."

"Hm," Mai mused, lifting her finger to her chin. Naru could not help notice that her reaction was nearly identical to his brother's. He slid open the door to the room that was their base, both Lin and Gene turning to watch them enter. Gene raised both eyebrows and gave his brother a grin.

"Not now," Naru said shortly, giving his twin a warning look.

"As you wish," Gene grinned.

"That's the note?" Lin asked Mai, and she nodded, passing it to him. Lin glanced over it before passing it back to Naru. "Are you going to give it to Kaori?"

"Not yet, certainly." Naru folded the paper again carefully and returned it to his pocket. "I wouldn't want to cloud her judgment if it turns out this _is _the spirit of her sister trying to hurt her." He turned toward Mai. "Do you think it's the sister?"

"Um," Mai said, turning her head and looking aimlessly at the shelves. "I dunno yet. Not especially." She put her hands together. "Oh, I can tell you now. I was waiting until John and Kaori left."

"What did you see?" Gene asked.

"When I fainted in the kitchen, I saw a memory..." Mai's voice trailed off. "It probably doesn't seem very pertinent, but I saw Natsumi and her boyfriend. Itaru-san."

"Was it the spirit's memory?" Mai gave a small shrug. Naru tapped his pencil against the table. "If so, that confirms that the spirit is Natsumi."

"Maybe," Mai said, but she sounded dubious. "Regardless, I could see that Natsumi was completely infatuated with him. It may have gone against her better judgement, but she was definitely taken by him."

"And he?" Gene asked. "Did he seem to return the feelings?"

Mai paused, pondering this. "Yes," she finally said. "Not the sort of blind infatuation that Natsumi seemed to have, but he was clearly really fond of her. He didn't have any ulterior motives by being with her." She made a face. "Well, maybe _blind infatuation_ sounds a little strong. But you could see that she wanted him to think well of her, even if it meant doing things she didn't want to. Like how she took the cigarette. And she didn't seem like the type of girl that would be cutting class for any old reason."

"Young love," Lin said quietly, almost as if speaking to himself, "is often so foolish and insecure."

"It might be a good idea to talk to this Yoshimasa Itaru," Naru said. "We can look up the Yoshimasa family in Kanazawa, but if what Kaori said of him staying with his mother is true it could mean we'd be looking under the wrong name. I'd like our actions to be based on more than hearsay, anyway, so there's no reason not to get additional information. We can ask Kaori who his friends were and I'd like you," he nodded toward Gene, "to ask around at the school and see if you can find anything more conclusive. One of his friends must have his cell phone number."

"Will do," Gene said.

Naru turned to Lin. "How's our progress with getting Mai and Gene into the school tomorrow?"

"There's a couple of last things to be finalized," Lin said, leaning back in his chair and resting his ankle on his knee. "I should have the student IDs by tonight and we'll know tomorrow morning into which classes they'll be placed." He glanced at Mai. "Perhaps you could ask for Kaori's assistance. We'll need to know what supplier the school uses for uniforms—or rather, where we can buy some."

"I'm on it," Mai said, nodding.

"What pretense are we going on?" Gene asked. "Visiting students?"

"No, just regular transfer students," Lin said. "The school administration is aware that it's a short term matter, but for all intents and purposes your classmates will think of it as permanent."

Mai smiled. "Won't they be disappointed," she murmured.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Gene teased with a grin.

"Just don't let any girls get a crush on you," Mai warned. "You'll break their hearts."

"I'll be purposefully mean," Gene promised with a dashing smile. "I'll do my best impression of Noll." He glanced at his brother. "Are you sure you don't want to go?"

"It would be too noticeable," Naru said, shaking his head. "And if the spirit appears at the school I need you to be there, not me."

"You'll be entering the school under the guise of siblings," Lin said. "You can corroborate a story to be step-siblings or half-siblings as you like, but Mai will be in Kaori's year, and Gene the year above."

"That'll work out well, then," Gene said with a nod. "Didn't she say that Yoshimasa was a class ahead?"

Naru nodded and lifted his wrist to glance at his watch. "We have a couple hours before we need to start thinking about dinner. Lin, I'll take over if you want to stretch."

Lin nodded gratefully and the two switched places. Mai had been texting on her phone and looked up. "Kaori says there's a department store nearby, actually, that carries the school's uniform. She said she told her mom she's stepping out and we'll go together. Gene, if you let me know your size I can pick yours up for you, too."

"Sure, thanks," Gene said.

"I'll go with you, actually," Lin said.

"Oh—" Mai appeared as though she were about to protest. "You don't have to if you don't want to, really..."

Naru shrugged. "We can handle things here while you're out. It'd be prudent not to send the two of you off alone somewhere, considering that the spirit's already shown itself to you, Mai."

"Ok. Well, we'll be back."

After Lin and Mai had left, Gene glanced at his brother with a grin.

"Don't even start," Naru warned.

Gene held up his hand. "It's just nice to see you made up so quickly. That you finally came to your senses. That's all."

His twin sighed. "_Please _don't tell me you were spying on us."

Gene snorted. "As if. You guys are just plain as day. Though I don't imagine Lin could tell what happened..."

"Well, at least that's something," Naru muttered.

...

The rest of the afternoon passed without event. Kaori went with her parents to see her mother off at the train station. At her request, the SPR investigators set up several cameras within the house in areas she had promised her father would certainly not pass through before he left for his business trip the following morning. As an added precaution, Naru and Gene agreed it would be best if Lin cast the suggestion spells on each one. Mai had hoped to watch the spell being cast but Gene had insisted she start on dinner.

"We might as well take advantage of having a kitchen right next to our base. We may not be so lucky next time and we'll be eating instant ramen or take-out."

"Anything you could throw together would be better than that, Mai-san," Lin said, looking up for a moment from his concentration. He had been sketching diagrams on a pad of paper—formulating the spell, Naru had said.

"I guess Kaori _did _say we should eat anything in the fridge and if they have vegetables we might as well cook them..." Mai agreed, looking over her shoulder at Lin and Naru with the cameras as Gene steered her toward the kitchen.

"I'll help, but you need to tell me what to do," Gene said, a huge grin on his face. "Man! This is kind of exciting, isn't it."

"What, making dinner?" Mai laughed. "Or the case?"

"Well, I was talking about dinner," Gene admitted sheepishly, watching as Mai poked through the Murata's fridge. "Maybe I'm just hungry."

"You're _always _hungry, Gene."

He shrugged. "You're a good cook, you know that, Mai? You really are."

Mai laughed again, pulling a leafy cabbage and some mushrooms out of the refrigerator. "Well, it certainly didn't happen overnight. But I'm glad to hear you think so." She took an onion and some carrots and passed the lot to Gene. "This'll have to do."

"What are we having?"

"Just yakisoba." Mai smiled. "I saw noodles in the cupboard and there's pickled ginger in the fridge at the guesthouse. Should be pretty easy to throw together. Let's go."

...

By the time Mai and Gene prepared dinner and brought the plates up to the base, both Lin and Naru were sitting at the desk, watching the monitors.

"Kaori and her father returned not too long ago," Naru informed them, turning his head as they entered.

"Anything out of the ordinary?" Gene asked, setting two plates on the table.

"None whatsoever."

"Come eat," Mai beckoned, and sat down at the computer when Naru stood up. "I'll keep an eye on it. You guys just relax for a moment."

"Hardly fair," Lin said, but he acquiesced and moved his chair to the table, picking up the chopsticks. "Thanks for dinner."

"Thanks for dinner!" Gene said, clapping his hands together like a school boy. His brother snorted. At that, Gene looked at his brother curiously. "I don't even know anymore. Can _you _cook, Noll? Or did you always let Mai make you dinner?"

"What are you implying?" Naru frowned.

Gene took a bite of the yakisoba and shrugged. "I'm just curious what skills you managed to pick up in your past-future life."

"I could follow recipes," Naru said stiffly. "But I was never very good at improvising." He glanced at Mai. "Not like Mai. She can't follow a recipe to save her life."

Mai giggled. "Yeah. That's probably why I'm so bad at baking. Your leaveners and alkalines and whatever have to be so _precise_."

A small smirk lifted the corner of Naru's mouth. "Inevitably, the harder you try to follow a recipe the more likely you'll forget something basic."

"Like that one time I made Luella's favorite muffins—or at least they were supposed to be—and forgot the salt _and _the baking powder!" Mai grinned and cringed at the same time, shaking her head. "That was awful." She turned her head back to the monitors, sighing. "How strange," she murmured. "To remember something that never even happened."

...

The evening progressed without incident and soon night had arrived. "Her father's gone to bed, so I'm going to loosen the protections on the spells and rest for a bit," Lin said, standing. "Wake me earlier if anything happens, but I'll plan on waking around midnight for the next watch."

Naru nodded. "Make it one," he said. "Midnight's not long enough to get some decent rest." He glanced at his brother, who had been yawning steadily for the past hour. "Why don't you go to bed too, Gene. I'll take the first shift." He glanced at Mai. "And Mai, I suppose."

Gene couldn't help but yawn as he nodded, glancing apologetically at Mai. "You're okay to stay up?"

"I'm fine," Mai said, "I'm actually not tired at all yet."

"All right," Gene agreed. "But don't forget we have school tomorrow. Go to bed if you're tired; Noll and Lin can keep an eye on things tonight." He followed Lin into the next room where they'd laid out some futons and the base was suddenly silent but for the quiet humming of the electrical equipment.

"I met Lin's shiki," Mai suddenly said, breaking the silence, looking up at Naru as she spoke. Sitting at the computer, he was writing something down in his notebook. She didn't have to see the paper to know that words and phrases were underlined or circled, drawn together with long strokes of the pencil across the page. He was thinking, she knew, considering all the aspects of the case and their connections to each other. She hesitated, wondering if now as the right time to have the conversation, but as he hadn't signalled for her to quiet, she continued. "When I was walking home from the supermarket this morning."

"Is that so?"

She waited for him to continue with questions but he did not. "He said he was just checking to see if I'd be ready when you guys were," Mai continued, glancing back at him, but his eyes remained steadfast on the notepad. "And that he was curious if I could see him."

"I bet he was," Naru remarked dryly.

"Lin-san said he thought I could probably see him because Gene can, but that doesn't make any sense," Mai frowned.

"It doesn't?" He asked quietly, his pencil hovering above the paper.

"No, not at all." Mai shook her head. "I thought he was probably disobeying Lin-san by talking to me, but I guess not," Mai said, shrugging. "I asked him that, too."

"Did you talk about anything else?" he asked.

Mai thought for a second. "I don't think so," she finally said. "At least, not much. I asked him about Lin-san."

Naru cocked his head slightly, considering her. "What about Lin?"

Mai flushed. "I was worried that he was lonely." She looked embarrassed, turning back to the monitors and trying to study the temperature readings, but they were absolutely constant with no fluctuations. "It probably sounds pretty dumb. Our conversation wasn't very long. But he did say I should tell you."

Naru nodded slowly, his pencil tapping against the page. "Gene said... he thought you had a dream last night about the case. About Kaori, shortly after the funeral." He met her gaze.

Mai looked surprised. "Gene said that?" She looked at her hands. "I don't remember."

Naru shrugged slightly and his eyes returned to his paper. "He could have been mistaken."

"Yeah," Mai murmured, though her tone was unconvinced and uneasy. Her eyes stared blankly at the monitor, watching the quiet inside of the Murata house. All was still and she was unable to focus on their case. Why had _Gene _thought she had a dream, if she couldn't even remember herself? She bit her lip and tapped her fingers anxiously on the desk, remembering again what Lin had said earlier in the day.

"We haven't discussed how much we're going to pay you," Naru suddenly said calmly, looking up again.

"Oh," Mai began, surprised, a flustered look coming over her face. "I dunno, Naru, you don't really have to—"

"Nonsense. You're an employee of SPR, aren't you? And you were paid at BSPR. There's no reason not to be paid now."

"But I wasn't working for you," Mai protested. "I was working for Madoka."

"What difference does it make? Our relationship doesn't change anything. Not to mention that BSPR, as the parent company, would be horrified to hear that I wasn't paying one of my investigators properly." Seeing her apprehension, he waved his hand nonchalantly, gesturing at nothing. "Consider it a formality, if you like, but there's no getting around it. What did I pay you last time?"

"Um..." Mai bit her lip. "What was it? Maybe 800 yen an hour for clerical work, and 1200 on cases? Something like that."

"Well, we'll definitely have to give you a raise," Naru said. "But you'll have to keep track of your time. Perhaps you'd rather be salaried?"

"Sure," Mai said, shrugging. "Honestly, it doesn't matter to me..."

He ignored her. "At 1500 yen an hour, if you worked an average of three regular days and two part-time, that'd be roughly 30 hours a week, so that'd be 45,000 yen, but taking account for the inevitable overtime... maybe 80,000 yen?"

"A week?" Mai asked, skeptical.

He smirked at her. "I'll run it by Lin and Gene for their approval." He turned back to the computer. "I'll get it entered into the payroll system after this case."

"As you wish."

"Naturally," he smirked at her and she swatted at his arm playfully. He raised an eyebrow at her. "I can't very well have you be destitute, can I?"

"_Why _does everyone think I'm so poor?" Mai sighed, rolling her eyes to the ceiling. "Not that I'm not grateful for the exorbitant salary, Naru..."

"Exorbitant?" He scoffed, and then sighed, lowering his eyes to the paper in his lap. Frowning, he pushed it aside and turned his gaze instead to the computers in front of them. "I can't do anything for you as I am right now, Mai. The least I can do is make sure you can provide for yourself."

Mai turned toward him, smiling sadly. "Don't say that, Naru. Just because we're younger..." Her voice trailed off and she placed her hand on his gently. "It doesn't change anything. Not really." The two remained in the same position, her hand touching his, watching the monitors in silence until Lin came to relieve them.

...

Naru hadn't even realized he'd fallen asleep when he suddenly blinked, finding himself again in the dreamscape standing next to his brother. "You brought me back to your dream again?"

Gene shook his head, his lips pursed and eyes serious. "While it's true that I brought you here... this isn't my dream." His brother's expression turned puzzled and he continued. "This is Mai's."

...

* * *

A/N: Thank you _so much_, everyone, for reading ... I cannot express my gratitude enough, but I'll keep trying. Please leave me a review or drop me a note to let me know what you think! You know how I love hearing from you. You are my editors, you spot my errors and you catch inconsistencies when they appear, and your ideas make me consider new thoughts for the direction of the story, so please do let me know. Your fellow readers will thank you :)


	11. Part XI

_**Part XI**_

They were standing in the school hallway once again, though the atmosphere from Mai's dream was completely different than Gene's had been before. It appeared to be the end of the school day; students were talking and laughing in the halls as they made their way to their after-school destinations, whether it be school clubs or cram school, a part-time job or simply going home.

Naru looked around, frowning at his surroundings. The vivid colors were a strong contrast to the muted, washed-out colors that Gene's dream had presented itself in. "This is _Mai's_ dream?" He asked. "Where is she?"

"I don't know. She must be nearby, but I can't seem to find her." Gene lifted his shoulders, shrugging slightly. "I hoped you'd have better luck than me."

Naru glanced at his brother, the frown still set on his features. "I thought you'd outgrown sneaking into others' dreams, Gene."

Gene rolled his eyes and let out a huff. "I didn't _sneak in_," he retorted, hoping his twin wouldn't guess that he had, in fact, spied on Mai in her dream when they first met, not to mention that he'd met her in her dream after they had returned from Nagano. "I felt the link and I followed it. Mai definitely created it." He frowned slightly. "If the events from earlier were any indication, though, she may not even be aware that she did."

"But you created the link for me from here? You can do that, even from someone else's dream?"

Gene turned his head away, evading his twin's gaze. "I thought it would be better this way," he muttered as the two walked forward down the hall, weaving through the students.

"There's Kaori there," Naru suddenly said as he spotted her. He shook his head, immediately correcting himself. "No, it must be Natsumi." She was holding a violin case and was talking with another girl, laughing with bright eyes. Natsumi suddenly looked across the hall, her eyes connecting with those of a boy. He grinned at her and she smiled back, excusing herself from the girl and hurrying over to meet him.

"Yoshimasa," Naru said as he saw him, nodding. He understood exactly what Mai had meant earlier when she was talking about the couple, though she had been unable to completely articulate the feeling. Natsumi was obviously head-over-heels, clearly willing to do anything for Yoshimasa's affection, even if his own fondness was clear to see. And yet there was something about the couple that was _not right_; they were not a good match for each other, no matter what their feelings were.

"You got my text, right? You coming tonight?" Yoshimasa asked Natsumi, who smiled as he reached toward her and tucked her curly hair behind her ear.

"Yeah, I gotta practice first, though.."

"You and your violin," he teased. "Of course. We'll be there at seven. Don't worry about dinner; we can get food there."

"Okay. I'll be there."

He grinned at her. "I'll be waiting for you."

"The same club as last time?"

"Yeah. I got something special for you, though, this time."

Natsumi blushed, looking up at him curiously. "Something for me? Like, a present?"

"You could say that."

Gene saw movement out of the corner of his eye and touched his brother's arm to get his attention. It was Mai. It was no surprise he hadn't seen her earlier. In the brightly colored hallway, where every color on the moving student's clothes or satchels screamed for attention, Mai was so pale and translucent she was all but invisible within the crowd. Beside her stood Kaori, the twin's eyes darkening when she saw her sister and Yoshimasa together, standing so close in the crowded hallway.

"Natsumi," Kaori called and the twin stepped away from her boyfriend. Yoshimasa, however, closed the gap between them by putting his arm around her, narrowing his eyes and glaring at the other twin scornfully.

"What is it, Kaori-san?" Yoshimasa said coldly. "Don't you have club? Or are you missing cram school? Whatever it is, I'm sure there's someplace you're supposed to be."

"Regardless of where I should be," Kaori lifted her chin defiantly. "I would just like to speak with my sister. Not a crime, is it?"

"She's busy—" Yoshimasa bit back, but Natsumi silenced him with a sigh and a shake of her head.

"It's fine, Itaru-kun," she said, lifting her hand to remove his from her shoulder, stepping away from him. As she did Naru saw the flash of light refracted off a shiny bracelet on her wrist. It was the bracelet she had received from Yoshimasa—it was after Christmas, then, he thought to himself. "I'll see you tonight, ok?" Natsumi said to Yoshimasa.

He scowled slightly at the sisters. "Fine, see you later."

"He's jealous of their bond." Mai suddenly mused quietly, speaking to herself. "It's like a competition. He's been trying to monopolize her time so she can't spend it with her sister."

Naru glanced at her, but her eyes were still on the twin sisters. Natsumi spoke first.

"Sorry," she apologized. "I don't know why he's so rude sometimes. He's never like that to me."

"He better not be," Kaori said with a huff, frowning. "I still can't see _what _you see in him."

Natsumi sighed. "Don't start this, Kaori. Not now. I gotta go practice." She turned down the hall to leave but her sister followed her. Mai drifted close behind with the twins in tow.

"Wait, Natsumi.." Kaori sighed. "Sorry. I really am. I just wanted to ask you if you wanted to come do karaoke tonight. Since Mom and Dad are out tonight and we don't have to worry about curfew, we thought we'd go out. Chirhiro and Sachie and me."

Natsumi was clearly torn. "I.. can't," she sighed. "I'd like to, but... Not tonight."

"Going out with him?" Kaori asked, her voice bitter.

"What about tomorrow?" Natsumi said quickly. "Why don't you ask Chihiro and Sachie if they're free. It's been so long since I've hung out with them. We'll go again tomorrow."

"Really?" Kaori sounded dubious. "What about Mom and Dad?"

"It'll be fine! I'll think of something." Natsumi smiled at her sister. "I'm gonna go. See ya later, okay?" She waved at her sister and hurried down the hall. Kaori simply watched her, a forlorn look on her face.

"Poor Kaori-san," Mai murmured. "You think your sister's left you for him. You just don't know..." her voice trailed off and she didn't finish her statement.

"Know what?" Gene prompted but Mai didn't seem to hear him. She walked forward dreamily, almost gliding in her footsteps and the twins followed.

The dreamscape shifted then and the twins followed Mai through a loud, crowded club into a private room. There were empty glasses and an ashtray full of half-smoked cigarettes on the table. The table was pushed toward the wall and chairs were overturned. Beside the plush sofa, Natsumi was lying on the floor, her eyes closed. A desperate Yoshimasa was leaning over her, his hands on her cheeks.

"C'mon, Natsumi," he pleaded, over and over, his voice shaking as much as his hands. "Wake up. Wake up, please."

The boy didn't seem to know what to do in his panic. He shook her shoulders to no avail and sat back on his heels, staring at her and looking around the deserted room. "I'll.. I'll go get help," he suddenly said to her and ran from the room, closing the door behind him.

The room was still but for the sound of the outside club through the thin walls and doors. The three visitors stood silently, looking down at the girl on the floor.

"It's too late now," Mai whispered. "Her heart stopped."

A figure had appeared in the room, a pale shadow of her living self. She was crying. "Itaru-kun? Itaru-kun, where are you?" She called forlornly, searching the room. She suddenly saw her own body on the floor and screamed. "How could this have happened? I didn't... I didn't want..." She wept, falling to her knees and covering her face with her hands. "Sis... Kaori! Help me! _Kaori_!"

Mai turned around and the twins followed suit. Behind them they could see a private karaoke room. It was a stark contrast to the dim room of the club: brightly colored lights were strung along the wall, posters of both popular anime figures and idyllic beach scene beer advertisements for the varied clientele. The three girls were drinking soda, talking and laughing as they paged through the song catalogue.

"Sachi-chan, let's do _Boys and Girls_," a girl laughed.

"But that song's so _old_ now, Chihiro. I want to do Ayu's new hit _Evolution_."

"No way, I bet you can't sing _that_," Chihiro laughed. "It's so _fast_! I wanna see you try!" She turned toward the third girl, cocking her head. "Kaori? Kaori, are you okay?"

Kaori's eyes were glazed over and her hands were shaking. "Ah, sorry," she said, blinking and shaking her head as if to clear it. "I just had... a really weird feeling."

"She could feel it," Gene whispered.

"She knows," Mai agreed. "But she doesn't know."

Naru couldn't stop himself from remembering when he had felt his own twin's death and he closed his eyes, trying to forget. Suddenly, he couldn't breathe.

"Noll," Gene said quietly, putting his hand on his shoulder.

"I must just be tired," he could hear Kaori saying. "Can I have some of your water?" The mere word caused the rushing sound to fill his ears and he opened his eyes to avoid the sound. Coupled with the darkness, it was overwhelming.

Naru turned his head, not wanting his twin to see that tears were threatening to fall from his eyes. In the dark room of the club behind them, the spirit of Natsumi was gone. All that remained was the body of a girl in the aftermath of a party. When he returned his gaze to the karaoke room, the girls seemed farther away, as if the three were standing in a void between the two rooms.

"This must be the end of the dream," Mai suddenly said ruefully.

"Why do you say that?" Naru asked, but she didn't answer him. He frowned, perplexed. "Gene, do you think—Gene?" He turned his head, but his twin—who moments before had been standing beside him—was gone.

...

Gene opened his eyes in the dark room. Beside him on the futons set out on the tatami, he could feel the presence of both his brother and Mai, still sleeping deeply. He exhaled and sat up, feeling alert. The pertinent part of Mai's dream vision had passed and the certain knowledge of the fact had woken him abruptly. Turning his head, he found his twin's sleeping form in the darkness and gazed at him, wondering if Naru was still in Mai's dream or if the vision had released them back to a peaceful slumber. He suspected that latter and knew Mai would not have any further dreams that night.

He rose silently, pulling his sweatshirt over his shoulders to guard against the cold air and left the room, crossing the short hallway to the base. Lin sat still and silently at the computer, turning his head as he entered.

"Gene," he said, looking somewhat bemused. "Can't sleep? Or did you have a vision?"

"More of the former, I'm afraid," Gene said dryly. "Though Mai had a dream and managed to share it with us." He recounted the dream and how he and his brother had witnessed it.

Lin frowned. "You're certain Mai created the link?" Gene nodded, and Lin's frown deepened as he mused. "Unconsciously?" He tapped his fingers against the desk. "Why today, of all days..."

"What do you mean?"

Lin blinked and when he opened his eyes he seemed to be gazing on a different scene entirely. "Aahil," Lin said, and the shiki appeared. Lin's eyes returned to the base, raising his eyes to meet his shiki's. "May I ask you a question?"

"Certainly, my lord."

"Why did you decide this morning would be a good time to see if Mai-san could see you?"

The shiki shrugged. "You may call it instinct. Or luck. I did not know for certain she would be able to."

"There was nothing that led you to believe she would be able to see you _today_?" Lin asked, his frown deepening again.

The spirit familiar paused. "I did know it was greatly more likely than yesterday, just as yesterday was more likely than the day before," he began. "I have noticed.. some similarities in Taniyama's aura." He nodded at Gene. "Similar to yours."

"Similar how?" Gene asked.

Aahil paused again, considering him. "Like a mirror," he finally said. "It's the same but it's also completely reversed. An uncanny imitation that many would not even notice the difference. But one who notices such things... would surely see that they are not the same."

Gene felt suddenly bewildered and glanced at Lin, but the sorcerer was leaning back calmly in his chair. "Thank you, Aahil," Lin said, nodding at him. "That will be all. Please return to your post."

The shiki dipped his head as he disappeared. "Always at your service, my lord."

Gene looked back at Lin. "You understand," he suddenly said, his voice accusing.

"Not exactly," Lin said, shrugging. "It only reiterates what Naru's been speculating for years. He has never been able to definitely say _why_ Mai is so receptive to your abilities. If you have similar auras, that may explain why she's able to imitate you."

"I don't get it. Why my abilities, then, and not Noll's?" Gene asked. "If she's having dream visions because of _me_, she should be poltergeisting because of Noll."

Lin shook his head. "I don't think Mai has the capacity for that. Obviously your spiritual fingerprint complements Naru's, which is why you are able to absorb his PK. If Mai's is like a mirror to yours, that would explain why she's incompatible with Naru." Seeing Gene's eyes darken, he held up his hand to placate him. "Their spiritual auras only, of course. I'm not questioning their compatibility as a couple."

Gene sighed. "So it's just happening again, huh? I mean, after all, it happened before."

"It's no surprise that Mai should be picking up your abilities again," Lin agreed, "but I don't imagine we can expect it to be anything like last time."

"Because I was dead," Gene said flatly.

"Well.. frankly, yes." Lin sounded uncomfortable. "And your own abilities continue to progress through your life. But I can only imagine that there are only certain.. _skills_, shall we say.. that are within Mai's capabilities. She has never had formal training to learn to control her abilities and it doesn't seem to come naturally. At some point Mai will not be able to progress any further."

"Unless we teach her." Gene frowned.

Lin raised an eyebrow. "Yes. I imagine so."

"Why didn't Noll train her before?" Gene demanded. "Obviously she's able—"

"He did," Lin sighed and shook his head. "Or at least, he tried. And he wasn't the only one. Madoka had extremely high hopes for Mai's progression. But any spiritual sense Mai had had before seemed to have vanished. Her abilities completely disappeared when she came to London."

"After my funeral," Gene muttered. He looked up. "But I was still _there_. So why?"

Lin shook his head. "I don't know, Gene." He smiled slightly. "It could have been intentional, either on your part or even Mai's, unconsciously. You can imagine that Naru wanted to explore Mai's abilities, for his own curiosity, but Madoka was... relentless."

"Why? Surely not..." Gene's voice trailed off, afraid to say what he already knew.

"She only wanted to ensure his safety," Lin said. "I don't want to sound as if I'm justifying her actions, but that's all it was. Madoka was convinced that Mai could—somehow—absorb his PK the way you could. She refused to give up."

"What happened?" Gene asked quietly. "When I saw Mai's memories of that future... I didn't see anything about it."

"I'm sure she wants to forget. It was painful, physically and emotionally." Lin exhaled. "We didn't realize just how awful it'd been on her until it was over." He shook his head. "Of course, Mai doesn't—or didn't—blame Madoka for the way the training ended. But Naru did."

"If it hurt Mai, he must have been furious."

Lin nodded ruefully. "Yes," he agreed quietly. "He was."

The room was quiet for several moments and both watched the readings on the computer screen. As before, nothing out of the ordinary seemed to be happening at the house. Lin broke the stillness and spoke again. "But it's only a memory now. We don't have to worry about the future repeating itself." Turning his head back toward Gene, he smiled slightly at the younger boy. "Go back to sleep, Gene. You should get some rest."

...

"Mai. Wake up. Wake up, Mai."

Someone touched her shoulder gently and Mai opened her eyes blearily, groaning. "It can't be six _already_," she muttered. "It's too dark."

"It's already six-_thirty_," an amused voice told her and her eyes shot open as she processed the words. "It's only dark because it's raining."

"_What_?" Mai all but launched herself from the futon, scrambling to find her bag of personal items. "Six-_thirty_? Gene, why didn't you wake me up before?!"

"Noll wanted you to sleep," Gene said calmly, handing Mai the bag for which she was looking. "Kaori brought us breakfast. Well, she brought bread and jam. There's a toaster, so I'm not complaining."

"Is she here?" Mai asked, smoothing her hair, suddenly concerned about her appearance.

Gene shook his head. "No, she went back to the house. Said she wanted to practice, but she'd come by before she left for school."

"Oh," Mai said, closing her eyes in relief. They immediately popped open again and her mouth formed into a silent 'o'. "I had a dream! Last night. About Kaori and Natsumi." She pressed her fingers against her temples. "I can tell you during breakfast. As long as I don't forget."

He smiled and passed her the hanger with her uniform. "Then you'd better get changed. Kaori brought some tea but I think Noll would prefer if you made it."

Mai looked down, suddenly noticing his attire. "Wow! That uniform looks good on you!" She blurted. She blushed and looked away. "It's funny, but I always thought Naru would look good in a school uniform. I always kinda wanted to see it."

"This is as close as you'll get." Gene laughed and did an outrageously flamboyant turn to show off the clothes. "What do you think?"

"I bet all the girls are going to be interested in you," Mai said dryly. "How Naru thinks we're going to keep a low profile and infiltrate the school without anyone noticing with _you_, I don't know."

Gene grinned. "If they're lucky I'll give someone one of my buttons before we leave."

"It's the _second _button, actually, Gene, make sure you get it right." Mai laughed. "Nobody wants the first or the third. Now get out of here so I can change." Gene paused but didn't leave, clearly hesitating to say something. "What is it?" She asked.

"You remember that time... I had the dream abut your apartment," he started casually. "And how I shared the dream with you?"

She tilted her head as she looked at him, curious. "Yes," she said. "Of course I remember. Why?"

"Well," he paused, licking his lips. "It seems like you can do that too. Your dream last night. You shared it with me. You brought me into your dream."

At this Mai looked rather surprised. "Oh?" She frowned. "I don't... I don't remember at all. You were there?" He nodded, his lips thinning as he realized what he'd suspected all along—that Mai had not been aware of his or his brother's presence during the dream. "Oh." She looked at her hands. "Then I guess I don't need to tell you about it. You already told Naru, then? And Lin-san?"

Gene nodded again, rising to his feet. "Get dressed, Mai. I'll see you at base for breakfast."

...

Rain streaked the window panes of the room, the drawn curtains revealing a muted and dark outside. The twins were seated at the table and Lin was standing at the printer, collecting pages from the tray. The room was quiet but for the sound of the printer feed and the rain outside.

Mai entered the room, carrying a steaming pot of tea and a plate of thick slices of toast. Naru glanced up at her, his eyes following her as she crossed the room. A bright smile lit up her face as she met his gaze. He raised an eyebrow and a small smirk lifted the corners of his lips, his eyes pointedly dipping down as he examined her in the uniform. _You look nice_, his eyes seemed to tease and Mai felt a flush rise to her cheeks.

"I brought tea," she said, setting her plate at the table and pouring tea into a cup, which she then passed to Naru. "Gene, would you like some? Lin-san?"

"Yes, please," Lin crossed the room, passing Naru a sheet of paper and accepting the steaming teacup from Mai. "Here's the data analysis from last night," he said, sipping the tea. "There were two small spikes in temperature within the night that weren't noticeable unless compared with the 12-hour data as a whole."

"Where?" Gene asked, craning her head to look at the paper. "Kaori's room?"

"In the hall outside it," Naru mused. "Any sound or movement on the cameras?"

"Nothing whatsoever."

"While we aren't actually _in_ the house, I suppose she knows something's different. She may be able to sense the equipment—probably not what it's for, but at least that her environment has changed." Gene tapped his fingers against the table. "Plus, her encounter with Mai in the kitchen..."

Naru nodded, considering. "It may have been enough of a surprise to disrupt her usual habits."

"You think the spirit is Natsumi, then?" Mai asked.

"I'm not going to rule out other possibilities, but it seems likely," Naru said.

"What about the brother?"

Naru's hand stilled, his teacup halfway to his lips. "What?"

Mai waved her hand, gesticulating. "The younger brother, the one that died in the traffic accident?"

"The what?" Naru repeated. "Kaori had a younger brother? She hasn't said anything about that."

Mai paled. "I didn't tell you?" She whispered, looking mortified.

"The spirit's not the brother," Gene interjected. He glanced at his twin. "Don't be angry, Noll, I didn't say anything either. I heard," he explained to Mai. "I wasn't going to say anything with John around, and I didn't want Kaori to know I'd listened in. I'd already ruled it out as a possibility and after the spirit showed up in the kitchen I just forgot about it."

"Not angry, just... annoyed," Naru said sullenly, lowering the cup. "I'd just like to have all the facts."

Mai cringed, obviously as upset as Naru was with her mistake. "I know. I'm sorry," she said quietly.

"These things happen," Lin said, knowing that Mai was more likely to berate herself over the mistake than Naru was. "Now we know. Why can't it be the brother?" He asked, turning his attention to Gene. "You're certain about that?"

"It's been too long." Gene shook his head. "Eight years? A spirit can't hang around that long and then all of a sudden find itself searching for revenge."

"It was that long ago, then..." Naru frowned. "It's not likely. And if it was an accident, there's no reason it should suddenly start attacking Kaori."

Mai lowered her gaze. "Kaori didn't give any details about it. We don't know what happened."

"Then why the visions of Natsumi?" Naru asked. "You have to admit the evidence—though perhaps still inconclusive—is pointing toward her."

Mai pursed her lips. "I.. I don't know," she conceded. "I just don't get the feeling it's her, is all." She turned her attention to her breakfast, though she could feel the weight of Naru's gaze as he studied her in silence.

"We'll find out soon enough, I'm sure," Lin mused, sitting down at the table between Gene and Mai, refilling his teacup. Naru and Gene nodded, and they continued their breakfast, accompanied only by the sound of the rain and the almost inaudible hum of the equipment.

Naru was still looking over the data analysis when Gene suddenly spoke, breaking the stillness. "Did a boy ever give _you_ his second button?" He asked Mai.

Mai almost choked on her tea in surprise, a blush coming over her cheeks. "What?! Why are you asking _that_, Gene?"

"Just curious," he said casually, glancing at his brother to see if he was listening.

Mai's blush turned deeper as her own gaze also went toward Naru. "If you must know, yes." She said primly, taking a sip of her tea. "But I didn't accept it because I didn't return his feelings and I couldn't encourage him."

"What about the second time?"

Mai's blush—which she had almost managed to quell—came back in full force and even redder than before. "What makes you think it was different?"

"Just wondering." He grinned at her and then at his brother. "Well, it was, wasn't it?"

Mai covered her face with her hands. "Fine, _yes_, it was different," she muttered, annoyed.

"Well?" Naru asked, turning his gaze on her.

"Two boys the second time," Mai said quietly, still hiding her face.

Naru looked amused. "I didn't know that." His amusement seemed to grow as he watched her. "Why are you so embarrassed?"

"Maybe because you're all looking at me," Mai said grouchily, but she had uncovered her face and had picked up her toast. "I don't really want to talk about it."

"Don't worry, I'll tell you about all the girls that have confessed to Noll," Gene said.

"I don't really think that's going to make me feel any better," Mai muttered.

"Why not just tell her about all the girls that have confessed to _you_?" Naru retorted to his twin. "There certainly were more of them."

"Like I said, that's _not_ going to make me feel better," Mai groaned.

"As entertaining as this is, we need to get a move on, unless you want to be late for your first day of school," Lin said calmly, glancing at his watch.

Mai nodded and stood, quickly downing the last of her tea and collecting the empty plates. Naru took the teacups and followed her to the kitchen. When it was only the two of them, he smirked at her as she turned on the hot water tap.

"Confessions from _two _boys, then? Should I be worried about you going to a new school with new potential suitors?" He asked, placing the teacups by the sink.

"You never need to worry about me," Mai said, taking a sponge and beginning to wash the plates. She sighed as his hands settled on her hips, his chin nestling on her shoulder and his lips against her neck.

"I _always_ worry," he said quietly, and Mai felt as much a thrill from his words as she did from his hands, sliding around her waist. He kissed her neck as she finished washing the dishes. As she finished placing the last rinsed cups into the dish drainer she turned her head to meet his lips with hers.

"At the very least, I always seem to be thinking about you, even at the most inopportune times," Naru said, his voice barely above a whisper as he kissed her. His hands slid under her shirt against the smooth skin of her stomach.

Naru distinctly heard someone clear their throat and he stepped away from Mai jerkily, dropping his hands. Mai opened her eyes with a questioning look as Kaori appeared in the doorway.

"Good morning," the girl said cheerfully. Mai answered the greeting just as brightly but Naru watched the girl closely. He knew it had not been she whom had made the sound—and clearly she hadn't seen what they had been doing together or she wouldn't be chatting with Mai so casually.

"Sleep well?" Mai asked. "I heard you came by before I got up with breakfast. Thanks for troubling yourself over us."

"No trouble at all," Kaori insisted, waving her hands. "I slept great. I was up early."

"I'm glad you slept well." Mai said honestly. "Nothing happened, then?" She asked, even though she already knew the answer.

"No," Kaori said, shaking her head. A huge yawn suddenly overcame her and she grinned sheepishly, hiding the yawn behind her hand. "Sorry. Isn't that funny? I slept better than I have in weeks and I'm even more tired than usual." She shook her head. "I feel guilty, though. Because nothing has happened I'm afraid you'll think I was lying about it all along."

"Of course we believe you," Mai said. "I saw the spirit in the kitchen, after all."

"Yeah..." She nodded slowly. "Thank you." A smile spread over Kaori's lips as she turned to greet Lin and Gene as they appeared in the hall.

Naru slid into step beside his brother as they left the house. "That was you, I presume?"

"You heard, then?" Gene asked, raising an eyebrow. "I wasn't sure if it would work."

"I'm glad it did. How did you know..?" Naru asked stiffly.

"I saw Kaori coming and knew she was going to the kitchen first... I thought it'd be better to give you a head's up in case you were talking about anything sensitive." Gene shrugged.

"Thanks," Naru said, feeling relieved as well to know his brother wasn't watching what he and Mai had been doing. Most certainly his twin knew the extent of their relationship but he felt uncomfortable to be seen in such a compromising position. His brother seemed to understand the implication of gratitude in his voice and gave him a knowing look, but said nothing and the brothers followed the girls outside into the dreary, rainy day.

...

In all the cases SPR had done over the years there had been many at schools, but Mai had never once pretended to be a student and she felt terribly self-conscious as she stood in the front of the class as the teacher introduced her to the group of wide-eyed staring students. _A new target_, she thought dryly, _fresh meat_. She was surprised to find her fingers were trembling. She did not, as she feared she would, stumble in her introduction, and was grateful to take a seat near the back of the class. Fortunately, Mai was placed in Kaori's class and she found herself watching the girl throughout the morning from her seat behind her, but nothing unusual seemed to occur. The morning passed quickly and without incident and Mai was yawning behind her hand by lunchtime. The classroom was bright in artificial light, but the windows showed that it was still dark outside as it rained steadily.

As they had discussed previously, Mai sent regular texts to the others with updates of the situation in the classroom, or rather, confirmation of the lack thereof. She felt rather sorry for Lin and Naru, waiting for something to happen. As the teacher dismissed the students for lunch, Mai retrieved her bag with her bento and saw that Kaori had stood and was making her way toward her. "Uh, hi," Kaori said as she approached her, making a clumsy attempt to pretend they were speaking for the first time. "Want to eat lunch with me?"

"Sure," Mai said, smiling brightly. As Kaori sat down next to her she studied her carefully. Mai lowered her voice, opening her store-bought bento. "How are you doing? Has anything happened?"

"I'm okay," Kaori said, shaking her head. "Nothing's happened, still."

"Is it unusual? For it to leave you alone for this long?"

Kaori paused, pondering the question. "Maybe a little bit," she started slowly. "At least recently. In the beginning it wasn't that often, but lately it seems like something would happen two or three times a day." She shrugged and ate a small portion of her lunch. She then closed the lid on the bento box again as she looked up at the clock. "I'm going to go visit my friends in class B."

"Chihiro-san and Sachie-san?" Mai asked without thinking. In response Kaori shot her a questioning look. The suspicion dropped quickly and Mai had the impression that Kaori had decided that she'd told Mai the girls' names before, even if she couldn't remember the circumstance.

"Yeah." The girl stood, idling, as if trying to decide what to do. "See you," she finally said, and left the classroom. As soon as Mai was alone, a group of four girls approached her.

"It's Taniyama-san, right?" The first girl asked.

Mai nodded. "Are you friends with Kaori-san?" She asked the girls.

"Oh, Murata?" The girl standing in the center of the four shook her head, tossing her long hair over her shoulder as she spoke. "You shouldn't get close with her, Taniyama-san. She's been weird ever since her sister died."

The girl next to her, with wide eyes, said in a conspirital whisper: "They say she might have driven her to committ suicide. People think Natsumi's haunting Kaori for revenge."

"Her ghost follows her around the school," the last girl said.

"That can't be true," Mai said, deciding to play the skeptic. She tried to laugh casually. "Has anyone ever seen anything?" Obviously, someone had seen something or the rumor never would have started.

The central girl looked annoyed at the two girls who had spoken about the ghost of Natsumi. "Anyway, that doesn't matter. I just wanted to let you know, for your own good. You shouldn't talk with her. Don't let her hang around you."

"I appreciate your concern," Mai said dryly.

The girl looked at Mai with narrowed eyes, studying her. "I'm sure you'll catch on soon enough." She suddenly smiled and sat next to her. "I'll introduce you to our class. I'm Kataoka. These are Takaku, Yamano, and Tajima." She nodded her head to the girls standing behind her before directing her attention back to the class. Mai could see that several of the other students were watching them now, obviously curious to see if she was going to be accepted into Kataoka's clique. "Over there, those three boys? Isobe, Soga and Kuratsune. Their friends are coming in the door, Watanabe and Sakakibara. They're on the archery team. All five are absolutely off limits. Don't even think about getting interested."

"Don't worry, I'm not looking for a boyfriend," Mai said, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

"Hatakeyama, Sano, Machida and Komiyama," the girl said, pointing to four girls sitting with their lunches, laughing together and ignoring Kataoka and her group. Mai could see the class's social structure coming together. "You probably don't want to associate with them, either. Those two nerds over there are Takeda and Iwata," she continued, the boys looking away as she named them. "Let's see. There's Hamada and Misumi. Hamada's nice, but quiet. Misumi can be really annoying. Over there, Horie, Yachi and Hoshiba. There're all on the kendo team." She glanced around. "That's almost everyone. The rest must be out of the class. Who am I missing, anyway?"

"Just Yamanaka and Handa," one of the other girls supplied. Mai couldn't remember if she was Yamano or Tajima.

"Oh, well, they're basically nobodies, anyway," Kataoka said dismissively. She stood, looking pleased with herself, and Mai was suddenly grateful this classroom was only temporary. "Well, Taniyama. That's everyone." She turned as if to leave, but stopped. "Oh," she said, as if an afterthought. "They said there's another transfer student today, in the upper class. You know him?"

"Yeah," Mai said. "We're related."

"Well, you'll have to introduce us sometime, then," the girl said. As she spoke, Mai noticed that Kataoka and her friends were the only girls in the classroom to be wearing any noticeable amounts of cosmetics. "I'd like to get to know him too."

"I bet you would," Mai muttered, but luckily the bell rang, signaling that lunch was over and her words were masked by the sound.

...

As Mai had predicted, Gene seemed to rise to instant popularity within the class. Of the names Kaori had given him for Yoshimasa's friends, only one was in his classroom. When he finally got away from his new group of friends to talk to him, the boy was reluctant to speak.

"Kinoshita-san, right?" Gene said. "I heard you're friends with Yoshimasa Itaru."

"More like _was_," Kinoshita snorted. "I haven't heard from him in months. Basically since that girlfriend of his up and died, he's disappeared off the map." He looked at Gene suspiciously. "How do you know Yoshimasa, anyway?"

"My friend does business with his older brother," Gene said vaguely. "We've met a couple times. I heard he was out of town, in Kanazawa, right?"

The story seemed to satisfy Kinoshita and he nodded. "Yeah, he went to stay with his mom for a while. Nasty business with Murata, you know? His family didn't want the police asking questions. Last resort if you ask me, to send him to stay with his mother. Even his brother's been laying low. I heard he left town, too."

"You talk to him since he went to Kanazawa?"

"No, not since he left. I tried to contact him again a little while ago but his phone wasn't on. We tried to call the house of his mom's family, too, but the girl who answered the phone said he didn't live there." He snorted slightly in disgust. "But the Kato family—as far as I could tell, when he would speak of them—were real uppity sorts and just the kind to lie about something like that. His mom was a real bitch and so was everyone who worked for her. His parents divorced a long time ago and I think his mom didn't want him to associate with anyone connected to his dad or his life here."

"He didn't want to go and stay with them, I bet."

"Yeah, I think so."

It was this hesitation in Kinoshita's voice that caused Gene to pause. "Did he say he was going? I mean, did you guys talk about it before he went?"

"No, it was too sudden. We only heard afterwards." Kinoshita shrugged and looked at him closely. "You trying to get a hold of him?"

"Yeah," Gene said. "I have a friend in Kamakura I think he'd like to meet. You have his number?"

Kinoshita nodded and pulled out his phone. After he relayed the number he shrugged. "Let me know if you get a hold of him, so we know he didn't go the same way as that girl. Honestly, I can't believe he hasn't called. Just to let us know he's all right. I haven't been able to get a hold of his brother, either. Those guys won't even return a text message."

"Thanks, man, I appreciate it," Gene said, and Kinoshita nodded to him as he left the room. Gene turned his phone over in his hand thoughtfully, wondering. He turned when another classmate came over to him.

"Class is going to start again soon, Ichirou-kun," the boy said. "So, you know Kinoshita? You guys were talking for a while."

Gene shrugged. "Just have a mutual friend, is all."

A girl had joined the boy and was smiling brightly. "Ichirou-kun, is that new transfer student in class 2-A your sister? You two don't look a bit alike, I was so surprised. And isn't her name Taniyama?"

Gene was spared from having to elaborate as the bell rang, signaling that class was about to start.

"Tell me later, okay?" The girl asked him, smiling flirtatiously as she returned to her seat.

Gene had sat down in his desk, watching as the teacher returned and called for their attention, beginning the lesson. His mind was elseware, however, thinking about what Kinoshita had said about Yoshimasa.

Gene pinched his nose with his fingers, frowning as he concentrated. "_Noll_," he thought. Feeling nothing, he closed his eyes and tried again, reaching outwards toward his brother through their psychic connection. "_Noll, can you hear me?_"

He felt a twitch that could only be his brother's reaction to his thoughts. A second later his phone vibrated in his palm. _I hear you,_ the text read. _What is it?_

"_Yoshimasa's phone number. Ready?_" He thought the numbers out slowly and distinctly.

_Got it_, the next text read.

"_His mother's family name is Kato_," Gene thought. "_Sounds like the brother might have gone down to Kanazawa as well, but I'm not sure. Could be that he's just distanced himself from his younger brother's friends._" He relayed the main points of the conversation quickly, trying to illustrate the distance he felt between the mother and father's families. "_I didn't get any more than that, but it's a start. I'll help you look into things later._"

The next text took longer to arrive. _We're on it. And we're going to have to talk about this, you know, this new development_. Gene read the text and then glanced sideways to make sure none of the students sitting around him had noticed his attention to his phone. He needn't have worried and at the front of the classroom the teacher continued on without glancing his way. "_You could talk back, you know. You don't have to text. You're holding the connection closed,_" he thought. Now that his mind knew the route to his brother it was easy to communicate his thoughts.

_This isn't exactly an ideal time for us to start experimenting with our psychic connection_, the text read. He could feel the hesitation around his brother's mind even as his twin shielded his thoughts from him. Gene exhaled silently. "_I don't know what could constitute a good time, Noll, but I'll let it go for now. We'll talk about it later._" He allowed his reaching connection to his brother slip away.

He hadn't been expecting a return text from his brother. _I'll think about it_, the words read, and he knew he meant it.

...

In a quiet and otherwise empty cafe, Naru and Lin were seated at a table, the surface crowded with their laptops, notebooks and papers, not to mention cups of tea and the remains of a light lunch. Lin had cast a spell to obfuscate their conversation should anyone listen in, but so far there had only been two other customers to this cafe that day and they hadn't lingered. The two men had briefly considered staying in the van—parked near the school to be at the ready, should anything happen—but it was a cold day, both men wanted a hot cup of tea and the cafe's location was surprisingly convenient. The single woman watching the shop didn't seem to mind that they'd been there for hours as they were easy customers and made no indication that they would stop buying tea.

Naru leaned back in his seat, exhaling audibly as he set the phone on the table, feeling somewhat drained even though he'd only been on the receiving end of his brother's telepathy.

"Anything?" Lin asked, noting to himself that at least one of the twins appeared to be communicating telepathically. He wondered if Naru would be inclined to share the fact later but decided not to press for answers.

"It's not much," Naru said, shaking his head. "But it's something to start with." He reached for his phone and dialed the number. Setting the phone on speaker, he set it back on the table. "I really hope we don't have to go to Kanazawa to track this Yoshimasa Itaru down."

The line rang only once before it stopped. There was a short pause before the automated message began. "_The number you have dialed has been disconnected. Please check your directory and try again._"

Naru frowned at the phone. "That's inconvenient," he muttered.

"Do you think Gene had the number wrong?"

"No... I think Yoshimasa's number has been actually disconnected. He didn't want any connection to Natsumi's death; it's not far-fetched that he would change his number. Gene said even the older brother has distanced himself from it all." His frown deepened. "Gene said his mother's name was Kato. Without a given name, we won't be able to find her easily—at least it won't be very straightforward. How many Kato families there must be in the Kanazawa area, I don't want to even hazard a guess." He tapped his fingers on the table. "As I see it, there are two approaches we can take. We can look up marriages between Yoshimasa and Kato families. Or we could look into birth records to find either of the brothers and get the mother's name from that. And of course we can take those routes either by a municipal office or try to find other public news records."

Lin nodded his head with a slight sigh. It was a roundabout way to find a woman in order to talk to her son, and neither of the men were particularly looking forward to navigating through marriage or birth records. "You're set on finding him, then?"

Naru pursed his lips together. "I think it would help. The situation might become clearer if we could speak to him."

"You're still not certain the spirit is Natsumi?"

"Not.. certain," Naru said. It was Mai's dubiousness that caused him to hesitate, as she'd been right about these sorts of things on more than one occasion. "If the spirit is truly Natsumi, we should be able to find evidence why she is tormenting Kaori. Kaori hasn't been able to explain why her sister has targeted her. True, the spirit could simply be lashing out irrationally in anger over death, but it's not likely and it's not something that we can use to persuade her to move on peacefully. Yoshimasa was the last person to see Natsumi alive. What transpired in the last hours of her life may illuminate her motives."

Lin nodded in agreement. "I'll see if the school will release any of their records on Yoshimasa. If we could find just the father's name that would shorten our search considerably." He paused. "Are you against contacting his father's family? Certainly the father would have the contact information for his own son."

Naru whet his lips. "Yes, I considered that. If there's no other way… perhaps. But my impression is that the Yoshimasa family is not one we want to become involved in. No doubt the Kato family will be enough trouble for us."

"Agreed," Lin said. "I hope the fact that the son is from a yakuza family doesn't complicate matters too much. If we contact them, we'll have to be cautious." He suddenly tensed.

"What is it?"

"I've had two of my shiki patrolling the area all day," Lin started, turning his gaze toward the school, his eyes narrowing. "Keeping an eye out for anything.. unusual."

"Well?" Naru tapped his fingers impatiently on the table, knowing what had happened and waiting for Lin to say it.

Lin pressed his lips together. "A spirit has manifested at the school. It's very angry."

...

Mai had been lazily doodling in her notebook when she suddenly tensed, feeling a chill sweep into the room. Her eyes moved around the room and finally settled on Kaori, but no one—not even the girl herself—seemed to notice anything out of the ordinary. The teacher continued to talk, explaining the equation written on the board as the students took dutiful notes. Carefully, Mai retrieved her phone from her pocket and beneath her desk wrote a message to the other members of SPR. _It's here._

Naru's reply was immediate. _Can you see it?_

_No_, Mai started to write back, her eyes still sweeping the room. She could not _see _but she most certainly _felt_ the presence, and she could tell it was focused on Kaori. _Can't see it but know it's herwreds_

Mai jumped when Kaori cried out, her fingers falling over the keys but she managed to send the message anyway. Kaori slumped forward onto her desk. Mai slipped the phone into her pocket and gripped the edge of her desk, ready to rush over to the girl. As she stared she felt the spirit turn its gaze on her. Suddenly, she could see its eyes. The dark eyes bored into her with such hatred and malice that Mai gasped aloud.

_You again,_ it hissed, and disappeared. The chill lifted from the room.

The entire class was still, staring at Kaori. "Murata? Are you all right?" The teacher asked.

Kaori lifted her head from the desk and pressed her hand to her temple, where the spirit had struck her. "Ugh, sorry," was all the girl could manage. A drop of blood fell from her face onto her notes.

"You have a bloody nose," the teacher said. "Will someone please go with Murata to the infirmary?"

Even in the split second that Mai hesitated she knew that none of her classmates would volunteer. _For heaven's sake_, she thought, and raised her hand. "Sensei, I'll go."

The teacher nodded gratefully, no doubt aware of Kaori's ostracization. "Thank you, Taniyama. You are excused."

Mai hurried over to Kaori's desk and helped the girl stand, passing the girl her own handkerchief to catch the blood on her face. "Let's go," she murmured, and hurried the girl out of the room.

Gene was waiting for them in the hallway and instantly helped Mai support Kaori with his arm. The girl seemed weak on her feet and would clearly stumble if not for the extra support. "What happened? I tried to see but I couldn't see anything at all."

"It hit her," Mai said. "On the head this time. But it saw me and left shortly after."

"Did you see it?"

"I saw its eyes," Mai said. "It looked straight at me." She couldn't help but shudder. "It was really angry to see me. It was already angry though. When it saw me, it was _furious_."

"Ugh," Kaori said again, looking up. "Where am I?" She turned her head toward Gene, looking surprised. "When did Shibuya-san get here?"

"I was outside the classroom as you left," Gene explained calmly, even as Mai dipped her head down to look at Kaori's eyes.

"Her pupils look too dilated. I think she has a concussion." Mai said quietly. "We're going to the infirmary," she told Kaori clearly. "You hit your head."

"Oh... yeah. I think I... remember that," Kaori said, dazed. Her hand had dropped away from her nose but Mai lifted her arm by her elbow to put the handkerchief back against her face, catching the dripping blood.

Gene pushed open the door to the infirmary. The room was empty and he breathed a sigh of relief. Mai helped Kaori sit down on the narrow bed and Gene passed them a box of tissues. Mai took a tissue and held it to Kaori's bloody nose, pinching gently until Kaori's hand reached up to take the tissue herself.

As Kaori came to her senses, she began to cry. "She must really hate me, doesn't she?"

"It's not Natsumi-san," Mai said, trying to sound reassuring. "I know it's not."

Gene frowned. "Mai, we can't say that yet. I'm sorry, Kaori-san, but we don't know that."

Kaori simply nodded slightly, crying quietly and holding the bloody tissue to her face. The girl was a complete mess. Mai pulled a new tissue from the box and passed it to the girl. She turned toward Gene. "I saw its eyes, Gene, and I _know _it's not her sister," Mai said quietly, her voice vehement. "I saw Natsumi in her dream and they _weren't the same_."

"You know you can't compare a spirit's physical appearance to that of when it was among the living," Gene hissed.

"I know, but..." Mai stamped her foot in frustration. "Just _trust_ me, Gene."

"If it's not the sister, who is it?" He asked, his voice low.

"I don't know: the younger brother, Yoshimasa, _anyone_. But it's _not Natsumi_." She turned her head away from him, clearly unsettled and pouting. "Why don't you go update Naru and Lin-san. I'll stay with Kaori-san."

Gene arched an eyebrow. "And if the spirit returns?" He asked, even though his instincts told him quite definitively it would not.

"It won't. And if it does I'll use the Nine Cuts," Mai said shortly. "Just go."

He could see there was no use arguing with her and certainly when the nurse returned she'd just make him leave anyway, so Gene shrugged and left the room. As he slid the door shut behind him he saw a figure standing vigilantly in the hallway. Aahil nodded at him.

Gene frowned. "Did you see it this time?"

The shiki shook his head. "One of my Master's other servants sighted it but could not identify it."

"It won't return, will it, if you're here?"

"Probably not." Aahil said, following Gene as he turned down the hall. "But that's not why I'm here. My Master assumed you would not be interested in returning to class just yet. I'm to take your likeness and sit in class for you."

"How convenient." He raised an eyebrow at the spirit. "You'll probably do your best imitation of an attentive student and all-around good boy, I imagine."

The corners of Aahil's mouth lifted in a sly grin. "Unless you'd like me to make things interesting for you."

Gene paused, finding himself grinning as well. "Tempting, though my brother would chew my ear off for something like that, no matter how amusing it may be. No doubt Lin wouldn't be too pleased either."

"Perhaps."

Gene shrugged and grinned, stopping in front of the door to his classroom. He turned to face the shiki as Aahil's features slowly transformed to reflect his own, until he was looking at a mirror image of himself. "Some other time, then. Though you may want to discourage that girl sitting in the front row. She's got her eye on me." He cocked his head. There was something strange about seeing his own likeness that was not his reflection nor his twin. "Good luck, I guess."

"The same to you," Aahil said in his own voice, and he watched as an image of himself slid open the door and bowed politely to the teacher. The door slid closed and he was alone in the hallway.

...

Gene pushed open the door of the cafe, shaking his umbrella outside quickly before folding it and sliding it into the umbrella stand. Inside, both Naru and Lin turned toward him expectantly.

"What happened?" His brother asked, passing him a steaming cup.

"It hit her again," Gene said grimly. "But it didn't hit her arms or legs as it has before. It hit her right in the head. She has a concussion."

"Where is she now?" Lin asked seriously.

"In the infirmary. Mai's staying with her." He paused, pursing his lips. "Mai's convinced it isn't the sister."

Lin frowned. "Then who could it be?"

"That's what I said," Gene said, frustrated. "I know I should give Mai's intuition a chance, but I just can't see where else to look. And it's so frustrating that she knows who it _isn't_ but she doesn't know who it _is._ She said it could be the spirit of the younger brother or Yoshimasa, for all she knew. And we know it _can't_ be the younger brother. Why now after all these years?"

Naru had gone very still. "Of course," he finally muttered. "We hadn't even considered that."

"What is it?" Lin asked.

Naru pressed his hand against his forehead and closed his eyes. When he opened them, his gaze was calm and confident. "Yoshimasa. It could be Yoshimasa."

His brother looked dubious. "Yoshimasa may be missing as far as we know, but we don't know if he's dead. And if he was, why go after Kaori?"

"Because he thinks Kaori is Natsumi." Naru said simply.

"But why _hurt _her? He was her boyfriend. He was devastated when she died, right?"

His brother shook his head slowly. "We're still missing something." He turned to Lin. "Lin, you contact Yoshimasa's family in Kanazawa. Whether the information comes from the school or elseware, we need to speak with someone at that house to verify if he is or was in Kanazawa." The man nodded shortly. Naru drummed his fingers against the table slowly. "Mai still didn't see the spirit."

"She said she saw its eyes," Gene said. "I got the impression that when the spirit was focused on Kaori, Mai couldn't see it at all. It was when it noticed her that she could see it. Mai said it was even more angry when it saw her. And it was seeing the eyes that convinced her it wasn't Natsumi."

"Hm," Naru said, his brow furrowed in thought.

"Would you like me to make a hitogata of Natsumi?" Lin asked. "If the spirit is Yoshimasa and he is truly mistaking Kaori for her sister, we might be able to prevent it from attacking her again."

Naru paused. "Not.. yet. If we're wrong we'll have to destroy it ourselves. And if the spirit's actually Natsumi, that would complicate things a bit. I'd rather verify the identify of the spirit first." He nodded toward his twin. "I don't think there's much we can do until the school day is over and we can return to the Murata house. But when we do I think it would be wise if you stayed with her, Gene."

"You mean instead of Mai."

"Yes."

"Kaori's comfortable with Mai, though, Noll. Maybe just because they're both girls, but I think Kaori would prefer Mai to stay with her."

"No doubt." Naru pursed his lips. "However, it would seem the spirit's developed an aversion to Mai. It recognizes her as an outsider that is meddling in its affairs."

"That may prevent the spirit from attacking," Gene interjected.

"Conversely it may also become even more violent—toward Kaori or to Mai as well." Naru shook his head. "Mai's not trained for this sort of thing, Gene, and we don't have any data from prior cases to stipulate about her capabilities. Next time she might be able to see, identify and talk with the spirit. Or she might not. I don't think we can take that chance, considering the spirit in question gave our client a concussion today."

Gene pressed his lips together but said nothing. His shoulders slumped and he lifted his cup, sipping the now only lukewarm contents.

Lin watched the brothers for a moment and then stood. "I'm going to the school office first to track down Yoshimasa," he said, picking up his jacket, and Naru nodded.

"I'll start searching public records for birth or marriage documents," he said, glancing at his brother, who remained silent.

Gene did not speak until Lin had left. "Do you want me to go back to class?"

His twin raised an eyebrow. "I know you don't want to go. Do you think anything useful could come of it?"

Gene paused, considering. "I doubt it," he finally said. "I already spoke to Yoshimasa's friend. The spirit isn't going to return before the end of the day. And honestly, there's a girl in my class who seems to be interested in me, so I'd rather avoid seeing her. I don't want to deal with that."

An amused smile crossed his brother's lips. "Not surprising."

Gene ignored him. "Speaking of, I was a little surprised that Aahil's able to sit in class for me. The impersonation must take a lot of effort, right?"

"I asked Lin that earlier," Naru said, nodding. "You're absolutely right. Lin said Aahil will probably have to rest for the remainder of the day. But I thought it would be better if you could concentrate on the case."

"So I can corroborate your theories," Gene mused, picking at the remains of a sandwich on a plate.

"Or tell me when I'm on the wrong track." His brother watched him. "Are you still hungry?"

Gene frowned but didn't answer him. "I haven't had any strong feelings either way about this case, Noll. Besides that first dream, I haven't had any visions, either. Not like Mai." He paused, picking up his empty cup and looking inside before setting it back on the table. "Lin told me last night about what happened with Mai when she went to London with you. The last time around. That Mai was training and Madoka tried to... use her abilities for you as a replacement for me."

Naru kept his eyes steadily on his brother's, though his lips had thinned into a tight line and his hands had tensed. Gene shook his head, hoping to alleviate some of his brother's apprehension. "Well, not _really_—I mean he didn't really tell me what happened. Just that it didn't work. Or end well."

"No," Naru finally said, exhaling. "It didn't." He lifted his own empty cup, turning it in his palms. "You saw enough of what happened before to know that Mai showed remarkable potential. Her abilities may have been a bit rough around the edges—unpredictable at best—but both Lin and I thought that with a little formal training she could easily control them. She'd done a _jourei _exorcism once; with training she could have been one of BSPR's lead investigators and mediums."

"And considering your relationship, no wonder Madoka thought Mai could do it."

Naru nodded. "While discreet at first, it wasn't something we could hide. Of course Madoka didn't fail to make the connection. Even Martin brought it up once, at the beginning."

"And?" Gene prompted.

"I told him it was out of the question." His brother said flatly. "I wasn't going to ask that of Mai before she was ready and she wasn't ready." His lip curled slightly in anger. "Madoka didn't ask my opinion on the matter because she already knew what it was and didn't want to hear it. She told Mai my life was in _imminent danger _unless there was someone immediately present who could absorb my PK."

"And you weren't?" Gene asked cheekily.

"Of course not. But the fact of the matter was that Madoka used Mai's guilt for her own selfish reasons. She manipulated her." Naru retorted. "And of course Mai would believe that I was being stubborn and would refuse her help. That's what Madoka told her."

"Weren't you?" Gene muttered, but his brother ignored him.

"The two began sneaking away to attend additional practice sessions. Anyone Madoka could find who could manipulate PK—no matter how sloppy—would batter Mai with it, session after session, hoping that she'd be able to shape it. All in the name of Mai's so-called "training". Madoka was always certain that the _next_ time Mai would reciprocate the way she wanted her to. But she never did. If anything, Mai's abilities retreated even more. She stopped having visions. She couldn't sense danger the way she'd been able to before. After a couple mishaps and putting herself and others in peril, Martin removed her from the cases on which she'd been assigned to accompany me." He shook his head. "I can't say it was all Madoka's fault, what happened. Mai could have said no, but she never did. And she was under a lot of stress—moving to a foreign country, speaking a foreign language and trying to make sense of things. She was homesick. Perhaps her abilities would have diminished anyway, even if they hadn't done what they did."

"You say that, but you still blame Madoka." Gene said quietly.

Naru exhaled. "No. I can't... I can't blame Madoka. After all, none of this has even happened." He gazed at his hands, folded neatly on the table. "It's like being angry at someone for having an argument with them in a dream. No matter how angry you were in the dream, that's all it was."

"What happened in the end?"

Naru raised his eyes calmly to meet his brother's gaze. "I could tell you, but would you rather just _see_?"

Gene looked surprised. "You mean let me look into your memories? I can't assure accuracy, Noll. Just like with Mai... I'm sure I'd see a lot more. Are you sure you want me to do that?"

His brother shrugged. "I have been thinking about it, lately. Opening our psychic connection and removing the barriers between us."

Gene's surprise had turned to alarm. "You mean _completely_."

"Yes. Just as when you manipulate my PK, only sustaining the connection. Obviously, it's already partially open." He gesticulated vaguely with his hand. "Your earlier telepathy is evidence enough."

Gene scratched his head, ruffling his hair. "Yes, but," his voice trailed off and he didn't know what to say. "You wanted to wait. Earlier. You said it yourself. Now is not a good time to start experimenting."

"And you said a good time probably won't present itself," Naru countered. He sighed, looking away. When he turned his eyes back to meet his brother's, he was struck by how uncertain his twin's gaze was. "I _was_ apprehensive at first, too much so to try to send my own thoughts back to you. Perhaps I just wasn't prepared. But this is exactly what I've been thinking about, what I've been trying to research. Obviously, there isn't very much documentation on twins with pyschic abilities, so there isn't a precedence." Naru mused. "Theoretically, we should be able to do much more than communicate telepathically."

Gene snorted. "Always you and your theories."

"You already use our psychic connection to read my facial expressions. If we completely opened it you would be able to navigate my thoughts and memories with ease. I would only have to think of the moment to communicate it clearly to you. Not to mention you'd be able to tap into my energy, and I can only guess what you could do with that." He watched his brother's reaction to his words. "I know you can do it. Doesn't your intuition tell you the same thing?"

Gene exhaled and bit his lower lip, knowing his brother was right. Keeping their psychic connection open was something they'd thought about for many years, ever since they were children and even in the last year, before he'd gone to Japan—but they had never really considered it to be an option. "Could it be dangerous?"

"I suppose it's possible," Naru admitted. "But not likely. Not between us. Our energy is so familiar to each other's. You've been absorbing and manipulating mine our entire lives."

"True," Gene's voice trailed off and he thought in silence for several moments. His twin waited patiently. "I don't know why I'm apprehensive," he finally admitted. "A week ago, two weeks ago, this is what I would have wanted." He shook his head. "Even if I just looked into your memories, it wouldn't be like when I looked into Mai's. She wasn't prepared."

"No."

Gene pursed his lips. "Maybe not dangerous, but there would be repercussions. It would mean... losing some of your privacy. Your memories... with Mai. Even more so if we kept the connection open. And the present would be difficult to shield from each other." He closed his eyes, remembering. It had been a long time since they'd done energy manipulation together, but the feeling of his brother's energy, thoughts and feelings bleeding into his own being was fresh in his mind. The experience of being so closely connected to each other mentally was deeply personal and somehow comforting. After the session, the connection between them would always diminish. Gene likened it to water that varied between a steady stream or a roaring, overflowing river. Sometimes the barrier resumed slowly and sometimes it was immediate. It was always afterwards that the brothers would speculate about keeping it open, wanting to stay on that energy high.

Naru nodded thoughfully. "Perhaps at first, but I have no doubt you'd learn to control it. Once you became accustomed to it."

"I'm not as good at this as you seem to think I am," Gene said, frowning.

"You give yourself too little credit," Naru said. "What you've accomplished in the last weeks... it's unheard of, Gene. Your psychic progression is unrivaled in scientific literature. It may be prudent to be wary but I'm confident you can manage the connection."

His brother rolled his eyes. "The same goes for you too, Noll. Neither of us would be standing here today if it weren't for your bloody _genius _recklessness."

Naru frowned. "Even more reason for you to look into my memories. I'm tired of this space between us of non-existant time. I know you've seen a lot, remembered much of what happened. But there's still inequality."

Gene closed his eyes. When he opened them, his eyes were calm and steady. "_Only _what happened with Madoka and Mai. Don't show me anything else. Not now." His brother straightened and nodded. "And then we return to Kaori's case. No more distractions."

"Agreed." Naru nodded again. "I'm ready."

Gene lifted his hands slowly, his brother mimicking his actions. They placed their fingertips together and with a steady exhale, Naru began to release his psychic energy into his brother. The stream of energy grew between them slowly, until their fingers and then hands glowed a whitish-blue.

Closing his eyes, Gene felt his brother's psychic energy wash over him. It was comforting in its familiarity and he felt a smile tug his lips. _It's been a while_, he thought with a sigh, turning the energy over in his mind before passing it back to his brother. Their hands were now pressed completely together. _Feels like coming home._

His brother did not answer him but gave a short nod, and even though Gene's eyes were closed he could sense the movement and knew his feelings were reciprocated.

The stream was now a river around him. Gene slowly allowed his mind to drift with the energy. Snippets of memories surfaced around him: voices, laughter, silence. He could also feel his brother's emotions; the feelings as strong and clear as if they were his own. Had Gene had doubts before about their own relationship being replaced by the relationship between his brother and Mai—it would have seemed laughably foolish now, as his brother's attachment and love toward both of them was palpable. His feelings toward him were different, but no less dimished.

_Let me show you what happened_, he heard his brother say in his mind and the scene formed before him.

His brother was striding down a hallway, stopping as he saw a piece of paper taped to a closed door. _Reserved - M. Mori,_ it read. Gene recognized the hall, the door, and he knew the room inside. It was one that he and his brother had spent countless hours in themselves, doing exactly what they were now only under the watchful gaze of paranormal researchers. Naru flung the door open. Gene could feel the dark frown on his features.

Inside the room, Madoka swung around, her eyes wide. She looked stunned, though whether it was because of his presence or for another reason, he did not know. Naru turned his gaze on the other figure in the room, a teenaged boy with guilt and apprehension clearly written on his face.

His brother returned his furious gaze to Madoka. "_I heard what you've been doing_," he accused. "_Where's Mai?_"

Madoka could not speak but her eyes darted behind him. He turned again; it was then that he saw Mai's collapsed form on the tiled floor behind him. "_It just... it just happened_," Madoka managed, her voice tight. "_We'd only just started... she just..._"

He had rushed to Mai immediately when he saw her. _"How could you let this happen?" _He demanded of Madoka, kneeling beside Mai and cradling her head in his hands. Her breathing was slow and shallow; heavy dread dropped into his stomach as he felt her erratic, fluttering heartbeat. "_Get Lin!_" He shouted. He turned his furious gaze on Madoka. "_Go!_"

Madoka bolted from the room. Gene could not tell how much time had passed before Lin arrived, though he suspected it could not have been long as the man had already been en route before Madoka left to find him.

"_Her pulse is weak_," he told Lin. His voice was steady but his fingers were trembling. "_It was too much. She wasn't ready."_

Lin's face was a serious mask as he reached his hand foward to touch Mai's neck gently. Naru and Gene both watched as he unzipped her sweatshirt and unbuttoned the top buttons on her shirt, pushing the fabric aside to place his ear directly on the skin of her chest. Lin raised his head and began to murmur quietly in Chinese, eyes pinched closed in concentration. He placed one hand on Mai's forehead and the other upon her sternum. When he had finished he opened his eyes and placed his fingers again on her neck, feeling her pulse.

"_Weak_," the Chinese sorcerer said, "_but steady. She'll be fine; she just needs to rest._"

Hours had passed before Mai regained consciousness. She'd been moved from the facilities at BSPR back to her room at Martin and Luella's house. His brother was sitting by her side, resting his head on his hands when she opened her eyes. Compared to the other memories Gene had seen, it surprised him how young Mai appeared. Her hair was a little longer but otherwise she looked exactly the same as she had only an hour ago. This must have happened shortly after Mai had gone to London, he reasoned. She hadn't been in England for even a month.

"_Naru_," Mai began timidly, tears gathering in her eyes. "_I'm sorry._"

What happened next caused Gene to stop in his tracks. He would have thought his brother to be angry and to chastise her—after all, he could feel the feelings of frustration and anger. But he did not. Exhaling deeply, he simply smiled wearily. "_You had us all rather worried_."

"_Really_," she cried, covering her face in her hands. "_I'm sorry. I feel so ashamed_._ I should have... I should have told you. I'm sorry._"

He smoothed her bangs away from her forehead, wiping her tears off her cheeks. "_I'm sorry too, Mai_._ Just don't make me worry like that again. Okay?_" She managed a nod and he smiled wryly. "_You must be hungry. You missed lunch and dinner._"

She laughed weakly, sniffing. "_Yeah, I guess so._"

"_Too bad we only have tripe and liver left_." He teased, and Mai groaned.

"_Naaaruu, _please _tell me you're joking. You're joking, right?_" He simply shrugged as he stood, a smile twitching his lips as he left the room. Gene knew, as he did, that the food he brought her would be hot ramen, exactly the Japanese comfort food she most craved.

Gene opened his eyes to connect with those of his brother's. He exhaled deeply and he felt the stream of energy slow to a trickle before stopping completely.

"Thank you." Gene said quietly, as his brother set his hands back on the table. "For showing me." He exhaled deeply and a wry grin formed on his lips. "I'm surprised you didn't chew her out."

"Hn," Naru snorted. "Me, too. I fully intended to. Later after Mai'd recovered, Luella gave her a hard time about it. It must have been the only time Luella ever raised her voice at Mai. She yelled at her and then they both cried about it. I couldn't bring myself to bring it up again."

Gene raised an eyebrow. "Think Luella did that on purpose to spare Mai your lecture?"

"Wouldn't doubt it." He exhaled noisily, the sound almost like a laugh. "Luella's punishment was for Mai to do chores around the house, but even that was a blessing in disguise. Since she'd moved in Mai had wanted to help out but she still felt like a guest, not knowing how things were done. After her month's "punishment" was over she just kept doing the dishes or sweeping up. I think she appreciated the routine. And Luella got to spend more time with her and get to know her better."

"They must've spent a lot of time in the kitchen together."

Naru nodded. "They liked cooking together. Mai learned a lot from Luella. And she taught Luella how to cook Japanese food."

"Luella would have loved that." As if reminded, Gene looked down at the table, his eyes searching for food. "I'm famished. You? Let's get something to eat."

"You always are." His brother smiled wryly.

"Fresh tea, too. For you. Coffee for me." Gene stood and glanced over at the woman standing behind the counter. Obviously Lin's spell was still in effect or she'd have noticed the twin's peculiar activities by now. "What do you want?"

"Maybe just a sandwich or something." Naru turned back to the computer. "I'm going to search the online records for Lin. If we can find something online it'll save us a trip out in this miserable weather."

Later the old dishes had been cleared from the table and were replaced with fresh ones. Gene had already eaten his sandwich and was starting on a piece of cake, savoring the semi-sweet dessert with his coffee. In contrast, Naru ate his sandwich slowly as he sat at the computer. He'd also declined his brother's offer of dessert.

"Find anything yet?" Gene asked his brother as he finished his coffee, setting the cup down and stacking the empty plates.

Naru shook his head. "Not yet."

"Let me know if you do." Gene leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes, a smile twitching his lips. "I'm going to concentrate on the case for a little while."

...

The nurse had never returned. Kaori had calmed down and the nosebleed had finally ceased. It was evident to Mai that Kaori was not eager to return to class, so she had refrained from mentioning it. Remembering something in the back of her mind about keeping a concussion patient awake and alert, she began to talk.

"Feeling a little better?"

Kaori just shrugged. It was obvious that trying to talk about her condition would not help, so Mai walked over to the window, sighing and gazing outside at the rain. "Still raining, huh," she murmured. "There's just something about a dark rainy day, where it feels like morning even in the afternoon. Days like this always make me feel so nostalgic."

"Nostalgic?" Kaori asked, looking up.

"Funny," Mai mused. "I don't know what exactly it makes me think of. Maybe... memories of being with my parents. Or maybe Na.. Kazuya and Ichirou." She shrugged.

"Have you worked at Shibuya Psychic Research for very long?"

Mai laughed. "Sometimes it seems like forever."

"Are you... dating? Kazuya-san? Or Ichirou-san?" Kaori asked cautiously. She looked abashed, perhaps surprised by the directness of her question. "I mean, I would've thought you and Ichirou-san were together. Except yesterday, when... in the kitchen..." Her voice trailed off. "Kazuya-san was there first, I think. He seemed really.. really worried about you. I mean, obviously Ichirou-san was worried too. But Kazuya-san... he was different."

Mai felt her face flush red. "Well—" she started, not willing to lie but also hesitant to come out and say it. Naru wouldn't want her to, she knew—he would have no qualms about lying. She was saved from answering when the door opened. To her surprise, it was Lin who entered.

"Oh, Lin-san," Mai said, relieved. "What are you doing here?"

"I had to come to the school office, anyway, so I thought I'd check on you." Lin said, and turned toward Kaori. "Feeling better?" He asked and she gave a small nod. "Where's the nurse?" He asked Mai, who shrugged.

"Dunno. Out, I guess."

Lin frowned slightly and bent slightly toward Kaori, murmuring "Excuse me," as he gently touched her head where the spirit had struck her. "You have a rather large bump," he said, and Kaori winced, nodding. "I imagine you have a headache, but otherwise, how are you feeling?"

"Um, a little dizzy, maybe," Kaori said. "But I feel better now than earlier."

"Can you stand?" Lin asked. Taking her hand he helped her to her feet. She seemed a little unsteady at first but Lin seemed satisfied, nodding to himself as he assessed her condition. "Do you want to go back to class? Or would you rather sit out the rest of the day?"

Kaori hesitated before glancing at Mai. "Well... I'd rather not go back. If that's okay."

Lin nodded. "If you'll accompany me to the office for a bit, then we can go back to where Kazuya-san and I have been working." He glanced expectantly at Mai.

Mai sighed. "I'll go back to class. I'll text you guys when class is over."

...

Back in the classroom, Mai found herself growing sleepy as the teacher droned on about the historical significance of _The Tale of Genji_. She would sit up straight for some time before her body curved into a slouch, her elbow resting on the desk and her hands supporting her chin, and then jolting herself awake in her chair. After what seemed like an eternity of moving back and forth between wakefulness and almost-sleep, she found herself drifting into quiet slumber.

Mai opened her eyes to someone shaking her shoulders and calling her name; but it wasn't her own name the boy was calling so frantically.

"Natsumi," the boy implored. "Open your eyes."

Against her will Mai found her eyes closing again—after all, it seemed her eyes were _supposed _to be closed, even though she wasn't sleepy. The vision behind her closed eyelids of a vast, imitation Milky Way was cold and unwelcoming, and the longer Yoshimasa called her name the more fearful she became. She was aware of her own existence within the dream vision and then oblivious the next, living the death of a girl while the boy's frantic voice grew more and more distant. "_Help me_," Mai suddenly whispered, afraid the blue lights would make her forget herself and she would be lost in the monstrous darkness forever.

"Mai," a familiar and calm voice suddenly said. As he said her name she immediately relaxed and the fear that had paralyzed her seemed to disappear. She opened her eyes.

Gene offered his hand to her and pulled her to her feet, up away from the cold floor on which she'd been reclining. Turning her head, she saw the lifeless form of Natsumi laying behind her with a near-hysterical Yoshimasa leaning over her.

"Careful. It's a strong memory and the spirit has only intensified it by latching onto this moment. Don't let it cloud your mind." Gene said.

Mai nodded, but the terror was as palpable as if it were a blanket that draped over the room and it was hard to ignore. She was trembling and sweating even though her limbs felt like ice.

Gene took her hand. "Keep yourself separate from it, Mai. Remember who you are and hold onto that in the back of your mind. Don't let it pull you in again." Hearing him say her name seemed to help and she nodded again. They followed the boy from the room when he left his girlfriend there, watching as he weaved through the crowded club and out onto the street. He ducked into an allyway and was shaking as he dialed his mobile phone.

"Shin," the boy whispered. Both Gene and Mai immediately knew that it was his brother whom he had called. "Shin, I don't know what to do."

"What happened, Itaru?" They could hear his brother's voice through the phone.

"She won't wake up," the boy blurted. "I must've gotten the dosage wrong, Shin, _she won't wake up_."

"Calm down." It was astounding how steady the brother's voice was. "I've sent a car to pick you up. Should be there in just a couple minutes."

"What about Natsumi?"

"Nakanishi will take care of everything. He'll get her to a hospital and she'll be fine. Trust me."

"Shouldn't I stay here—?"

"Nakanishi's going to take care of her," the brother repeated firmly. "I can't have you accompany him to the hospital and get involved in whatever happens."

"But—"

"If you go in with her they're going to run a blood test, Itaru, and whatever's in your system isn't going to help her. Nakanishi's clean. He'll take care of it."

"She'll... she'll be all right?"

"She'll be fine, Itaru, that stuff isn't illegal because it's that dangerous. And remember, what happened was _not your fault_. Everything's going to be fine."

Yoshimasa peered into the street when a black sedan pulled up in front of the club. A man with a cleanly shaved head stepped out of the vehicle, glancing around. Yoshimasa heaved a sigh and lowered the phone, leaving the shadows of the ally and stepping out onto the lit street.

"Yoshimasa-san," the man said politely and opened the car door for him. "I'll take it from here. Your brother instructed us to take you back to the house."

At his words the boy visibly tensed. "Is.. is my father home?"

The bald man smiled wryly. "Your father is out."

Yoshimasa sighed in relief and nodded as he climbed into the car. "Thank you, Nakanishi."

"Goodnight, Yoshimasa-san," Nakanishi said and closed the door of the vehicle, stepping back onto the sidewalk as the sedan drove away. The man turned his gaze toward the club.

Mai felt the vision fading and she tried to follow the man back into the club, but her feet were stuck fast on the pavement outside. "What happened?" She asked Gene. Their hands were still clasped tightly together. "Natsumi doesn't go to the hospital tonight."

"In fact, she's already dead," Gene agreed quietly.

"Does he leave her there? He must," Mai wondered aloud. She turned toward Gene, a smile suddenly tugging on her lips. "Thank you."

"For?"

"For.. being here; helping me."

Gene shrugged, averting his gaze. It wasn't something he could put into words, but he knew with certainty it was his duty to guide Mai through her visions. He would be her guide in life just as he had in his death. And now that his brother wanted to completely open their psychic connection would only complicate matters. But he would say none of this to her. "It's nothing, Mai. I heard you call. What else could I do but come?"

...

Gene opened his eyes and sat up straight, running his hand through his hair and shaking his head as if to clear his thoughts. Retrieving his mobile from his pocket, he keyed in a short message and sent it to Mai. _Class is almost over_, it read.

His brother glanced at him, puzzled. "What was that?"

Gene shrugged silently and glanced at Kaori, who did not seem to be paying attention to them. _Mai's sleeping. I just wanted to wake her up_, he thought toward his brother. Naru's eyes narrowed slightly as he deciphered the meaning behind his words. "Class must be almost done for the day, right Kaori-san?"

"Sorry?" Kaori looked up from the notebook she'd been drawing in and then at her watch. "Oh, yes. I suppose I should go get my books…" she frowned slightly and bit her lip.

"Maybe Mai can pick them up for you," Gene offered, but Kaori shook her head.

"No, I should probably go." She sighed and folded the notebook closed. "Excuse me."

After Kaori had left, Naru turned to his brother with a raised eyebrow. "What was the vision?"

"What happened when Natsumi died." Gene frowned. "Yoshimasa called his brother and was picked up at the club. Supposedly, someone related to the family—I can only assume an associated member of the yakuza—was going to take Natsumi to the hospital. That's what they told Yoshimasa, anyway. But Natsumi was already dead."

"And she wasn't taken to a hospital," Naru mused.

"No," Gene agreed. He tapped his fingers on the table. "The memory was.. really strong. And really distressed. It was probably Yoshimasa's."

Naru's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Then—?"

Gene shook his head. "I just don't know. I still don't know why he could be haunting Kaori. What's the connection?"

"From what we saw there was a certain level of animosity between them."

"But enough to come after her after his death?" Gene shook his head. "You may be right, about him thinking she's Natsumi."

Naru settled back in his chair, resting his fingertips together. "The messages say _You killed me_. Or _it's all your fault_. That's what Kaori said. Whoever he thinks it is, he's seeking revenge for his own death."

The twins sat in silence for several moments, thinking. Both twitched when Naru's mobile rang. It was Lin.

"Yes," Naru said, setting the phone on speaker and holding it in front of the two.

"I've confirmed that Yoshimasa Itaru is deceased," Lin said, sounding tired.

Gene's eyebrows shot up. "Already? How did you—?"

"It's rather a long story. I'll tell you when I return."

"Do you know how he died?" Naru asked.

"The official ruling was suicide." Lin said. "He jumped from the roof of his school in Kanazawa. Two weeks after Natsumi died."

"What did Kaori say? That things started happening about a week after the funeral?" Gene asked, and Naru nodded. "It's likely they would have held her funeral about a week after her death, so the timing works out."

Lin continued. "I'm heading your way to pick you up to return to the Murata household. Before I do, I need to know if you want a hitogata made. There are several things I would need to do in preparation."

Naru looked at his brother. Gene spread his hands helplessly. "I don't know."

"What does your intuition tell you?"

Gene paused. "I don't think you should make it, Lin. Not... not yet. But I _do _think you should be ready. Do whatever preparations you need to do."

"Understood."

...

Mai had just finished emptying the classroom waste bins when Kaori approached her. The girl smiled apologetically. "Thought I might find you here... I thought you might take my class duties. Thank you. Sorry again for making trouble for you."

"It's nothing," Mai said, waving her hands quickly. "Nothing at all." The two walked back to the classroom together. "Well, you missed a boring afternoon," Mai laughed. "Well, maybe not if you like history. But personally I can't keep all the different shogunates straight." She made a face. "Anything interesting happen while you were with Ichirou and Kazuya? Or was that boring, too?"

Kaori giggled slightly. "Yeah, actually, it was a little boring. Kazuya-san just worked on his computer. He called Lin-san a couple times; they were working together on something. And Ichirou-san spent most of the afternoon thinking, though I think he fell asleep." The last part she said with an abashed whisper, afraid to sound as if she was tattling on him. Mai simply smiled, knowing she could not explain to Kaori what Gene did as he slept.

The two were passing the school office when figure waiting at the school's entrance caught Mai's eye. Her eyes widening impossibly large, she couldn't help but stare. "No way," she muttered. "I don't believe it."

Kaori turned toward her. "What is it?" She questioned.

Mai shook her head, turning her gaze away. Standing in the hall was none other than Yasuhara Osamu. "It's nothing," she said. "I just thought of something is all."

The young man looked up as they approached and actually hurried toward them. "Excuse me, ladies," he started, flashing a charming smile. "Sorry to bother you, but I'm looking for someone. Neither of you would happen to know Yamano Saori, by any chance?"

"Oh, she's in my class," Kaori said. Mai remained silent. "Not your... is she your girlfriend?" Kaori asked.

"Not at all," Yasuhara laughed. He opened his schoolbag and took out a notebook. "We attend the same cram school and she left this. I was in the area, so..." He smiled at Kaori winningly and Mai groaned inwardly. "Can I ask you to return it for me?"

"Of course," Kaori said quickly, taking the notebook.

"Well then," Yasuhara said, dipping his head to her. Mai had not said anything throughout the entire exchange and he looked at her curiously as he turned. "I'll be on my way. I appreciate it."

"Yasuhara-san, wait, please wait!" A girl called and Mai turned. Behind them from the direction of their classroom, one of Kataoka's friends was running toward them. Yasuhara turned at her voice. "Yasuhara-san," she said breathlessly, stopping in front of them.

"Oh, Yamano." Yasuhara said. He took the notebook from Kaori and held it toward her. "Your notebook."

"You didn't have to come all the way here," Yamano said, though it was obvious she was grateful he did. "Thank you so much," she said, reaching to take it hesitantly. "Do you... do you have plans this afternoon? You're already here. Want to get tea and study together?"

"Sorry," Yasuhara said. He smiled apologetically but his eyes were cold. "But I'm busy." He nodded his head to Mai and Kaori, his gaze lingering on the two girls. "Nice to meet you. Until next time."

The three girls watched him leave. Mai titled her head, gesturing for Kaori to follow her back to the classroom.

"Murata," Yamano called after her. "What did you say to him?"

Kaori turned, looked surprised. "Nothing, Yamano-san. Nothing at all."

Yamano clutched the notebook tightly, her face oscillating between anguish and anger. "You better not have," she hissed. "Or you'll regret it." She stalked past them into the classroom. As they entered Kataoka turned her narrowed gaze upon them. Mai ignored her.

"Thank you for offering to help me get caught up with my schoolwork," she said to Kaori, creating a pretense for the two to leave together. "I really appreciate it."

"No, it's nothing," Kaori murmured automatically, picking up her school bag. "I'll see you outside, Taniyama-san." She left the room quickly to escape the gaze of the other girls. Mai didn't blame her; she had a feeling Kaori would visit her friends from the other class before leaving school for the day. A melancholy smile came to her lips and she wondered if Kaori had to make up stories to tell her friends, just as she herself had been doing.

"Mai," someone called her name.

Mai looked up quickly to see Gene leaning in the doorway. She was not fooled by the image; it was clear to her that it was Aahil in Gene's likeness. "Oh, Ichirou-kun," she said.

"You have your books? Let's get out of here," he said, ignoring the other girls in the classroom.

Mai picked up her bag, hoping that the case could be resolved tonight so that she did not have to return to this classroom. She had a feeling that would not be the case.

...

Lin picked Mai and Kaori up a block away from the school, away from the gaze of other passing students, and then returned to the cafe to pick up the twins. From there the group returned to the Murata house. Kaori followed the others to the guest house, though she did not take off her shoes but rather stood in the entrance uncertainly.

"I'll start the review of the footage from the day," Lin said, nodding to the group and heading toward the base.

Naru hung his own coat on the hook before taking Mai's. "Would you mind making dinner again? Or we could go pick something up. Either's fine."

"No, of course I don't mind," Mai smiled. She rubbed her hands together. "A rainy day like this just calls for hot soup, don't you think?" She grinned at Kaori. "You wouldn't mind, Kaori-san?"

Kaori shook her head. "Not at all. Do you want to come to the main house? The kitchen is fully stocked."

"I'll tag along," Gene said. He glanced at his watch. "Suppose it's a bit early for dinner though."

"I need to change first," Mai said, stepping out of her shoes and up onto the raised wooden floor. "Oh, by the way, what time is John coming?"

Naru nodded. "Within the next half-hour, I imagine."

"He'll eat with us?"

"I don't know." Naru exhaled audibly. "I'll text him and invite him to join us. As long as you don't mind, Kaori-san."

"No, not at all. Well, I'll be at the house," Kaori said, nodding to the others. "Please come over when you're ready."

Mai bowed politely to the girl as she left. "Thank you very much, Kaori-san."

Gene followed his brother down the hall to the base, allowing Mai the privacy of their shared room to change her clothes.

"Anything so far?" Naru asked Lin, setting his notebook down on the table and pulling out a chair.

Lin shook his head. "There are some minor fluctuations, but it's hard to say definitively. I don't see much. Not yet. There wouldn't be, anyway, if the spirit is truly only following Kaori."

"Not much reason to go to the house when Kaori is out," Naru agreed. He frowned slightly, pointing to a screen on the right. "This is the current temperature data?" His eyes narrowed, watching the temperature dip in the entrance hall.

Lin nodded, turning away from the graphs and readings toward the screen on the left that displayed the camera feeds. "She just entered the house. It's possible that was just a draft from outside."

"Yes," Naru said slowly. He turned as Mai entered the room, having changed out of her uniform and into casual clothes. "Gene, change and go over there as soon as possible," he instructed. Gene nodded, already halfway out the door. "Lin and I need to bring Mai up to speed. And we need to look into Yoshimasa's death."

Mai's mouth dropped open. "Yoshimasa's _dead_? Then the spirit is—"

"Yes, quite possibly," Naru said, pursing his lips together. "But we still need more information."

...

"Oh, Ichirou-san," Kaori said as Gene entered the kitchen. Kaori had took some snacks from the cupboard, pouring some into a small bowl. "Where's Mai-san?"

"Kazuya wanted her to look into something, so she'll be here in a little bit," Gene said. "I thought I'd check the connections on the cameras and the mics, you know, just make sure everything's working properly."

"Oh. Please help yourself," she said, gesturing to the snacks as she took the portion she had alotted herself. "I'm going to study a bit and practice before my drama comes on."

"Mind if I listen in?" Gene asked, following her. "I'd love to hear you play."

"Oh, um, sure." Kaori hesitated, looking embarrassed. "I'm still out of practice. I didn't... I didn't play at all after Natsumi died."

Gene held up his hands quickly. "I'm not going to judge you. I can't play piano so I think what you can do is amazing."

She smiled sheepishly and the two went into the piano room. She looked over her music as she ate her snacks before beginning to play warm-up scales. Gene wandered around the house, listening to the piano music drifting through the walls as he absently checked the equipment. Everything was functioning properly, he knew, but it was an excuse to patrol the halls as he watched for the return of the spirit.

"Where are you, Yoshimasa Itaru-san?" he murmured to himself. "And what do you want?"

...

At the base, Lin was explaining the developments in the case to Mai. "The school office did not have any records of Yoshimasa's mother, but it does have the contact information for his father, including his given name," Lin said, nodding toward Naru. "Yoshimasa Hatori. It was Naru who found the marriage record between Yoshimasa Hatori and Kato Yukari, and was able to confirm that Kato Yukari currently resides in Kanazawa. The school also indicated which school in Kanazawa into which Yoshimasa Itaru would have transferred." He frowned. "Upon contacting Kanazawa Prep, however, it was clear that no Yoshimasa Itaru ever enrolled. There was one transfer student at the beginning of this year. His name was Kazushige Hideaki."

"A false name?" Mai asked.

Naru nodded, looking up from the papers he was reading. "So it would seem. Kazushige enrolled two days after Yoshimasa left Arakawa. With only a little bit of investigation we were able to find that Kazushige is the name of one of Kato Yukari's household assistants. She's an elderly woman who has never had children. Kazushige Hideaki was the name of her husband who died more than ten years ago."

"So Yoshimasa enrolled in Kanazawa Prep under the guise of Kazushige Hideaki..." Mai started slowly, her voice trailing off.

"And he commited suicide a week and a half later." Naru shook his head. "We haven't been able to find an obituary yet."

"You're _sure_ it's the same guy?" Mai asked dubiously.

"Yes. I called the Kato household." Lin said. "The first woman I spoke with would not admit that Yoshimasa Itaru had ever come to their house, not until I told her his father's family was looking for answers. I told her if she didn't tell me what she knew I would go to his father. It was a bit difficult... but I managed to ascertain that Yoshimasa came to Kanazawa but left soon after. His departure was so sudden that she likened it to a disappearance. There are rumors around the house regarding what happened." Lin shook his head. "Later, I spoke with another woman, and she herself knew what happened. Not many at the house do. She admitted that Kazushige Hideaki and Yoshimasa Itaru were one and the same. That he had jumped from the roof of the school. He died immediately at the scene."

"So, wait, the father's family doesn't know?" Mai asked, incredulous. "How could they possibly keep his death a secret?" She stared at Lin. "How... how did you get them to tell you all that?"

Lin smiled thinly. "Not methods I usually employ, I assure you."

"We need to close this case as quickly as possible," Naru said, frowning and resting his forehead in his hands. "Not only to protect Kaori from this spirit but for but for our own sake as well. We're walking a thin line between two powerful families. I sincerely hope that word doesn't get out that a Shibuya Ichirou is asking questions about Yoshimasa Itaru. The last thing we need is for his family to come asking _us _questions... especially if his father's family doesn't even know that he's deceased."

Mai nodded, her eyebrows knitting together as she thought. "So Natsumi died of an accidental overdose," she started slowly, thinking aloud. "Yoshimasa leaves Arakawa and goes to Kanazawa, but commits suicide." She frowned. "Is it possible he didn't kill himself? Could... could Natsumi's spirit have gone after him in retribution? And in turn, he seeks revenge from Kaori?"

Naru gazed at her, contemplating her words. "You think Natsumi would force him to jump from the roof?"

"He _did _kill her, even if it was an accident," Mai said. Her face saddened. "She... she didn't want to die. She was really looking forward to spending time with her sister." Mai looked away, sighing. "Just when they were about to make up. It's too sad."

...

Gene and Kaori were watching television together when they heard the front door open. "It's me, Mai," they heard her call. "And John-san."

John entered the room, smiling brightly. "Mai-san's going to start dinner," he explained. "Mind if I join you in here?"

The smell of food soon filled the house. It was a simple dinner: Mai made a vegetable miso soup with potatos, burdock root and steamed greens, rice and pickles on the side, but she still blushed with delight when both John and Kaori complimented her on her cooking. John had brought a cinnamon cake from the store and they drank tea with their dessert.

After dinner both Lin and Naru returned to base while Gene, Mai and John stayed with Kaori. The four played a card game together before Kaori got out her homework. John helped Kaori with her English homework while Mai and Gene read quietly. The peaceful evening ended when a loud noise from the other side of the house caused all four to jump.

_Noll,_ Gene thought. _Did you hear that? What are the readings?_

The thoughts returned to his mind almost instantly. _It's coming from Kaori's bedroom. The temperature already dropped five degrees._

"The bedroom," Gene said, rising fluidly to his feet. Mai and John both stood quickly after him, with Kaori rising slowly, hesitatingly. She jumped again when the noise sounded again, a soft cry escaping her lips and clutching at his arm instinctively. Her hands were shaking.

Gene stepped forward toward the door, John closely behind him. "Gene," Mai called after him in warning, and he could hear that she was nervous.

Kaori let go of Gene's arm as she stopped walking forward, staying behind the other three. She cringed when the sound echoed again through the house. It was louder and closer. They could feel the vibrations in the floor. "What is that?" The sound repeated itself. Mai frowned to herself, thinking it sounded as if someone had dropped a large sack of heavy books on the floor. _Whumph. Whumph._

"Please," Kaori whispered.

"Mai, stay behind me. Stay with Kaori," Gene instructed and reached forward to slide open the door.

Kaori screamed.

All four could see the spirit to varying degrees. Kaori and John saw a dark, hazy shape in the hallway, an arm raised and a finger clearly pointing directly at her. "You," it hissed, "are _mine_."

Mai could again only see its eyes, red eyes that burned with hatred. Despite her fear she stepped in front of Kaori, her right hand raised.

"What do you want with her, Yoshimasa?" Gene demanded. He could see the boy's shape clearly, though it was distorted through death and the singular desire for revenge.

The spirit swung his murderous gaze onto Gene. Mai licked her lips, finding that she, too, was trembling. All color had left John's face, the priest standing with his arms somewhat akimbo in a ridiculous-looking pose.

Gene stared at the spirit, unflinching. "Leave her alone," he commanded. "Your time has come to pass."

"Or?" The spirit laughed, mockingly. The sound they'd heard earlier resounded again, louder. "_Or what_?" It stalked closer into the room, advancing on the four.

Kaori was shaking, clutching Mai's shirt. "Natsumi," she whispered, pleading. "Natsumi, _please_…"

"Now, John," Gene said, nodding at the priest.

"_In the beginning was the Word_," John began. Despite his pallor his voice was loud and he spoke the words calmly. From his pocket he had retrieved a vial of holy water, the open container now in his hand. He spread the droplets of the water slowly and methodically in front of him, moving forward to stand first next to Gene and then in front of him. "_And the Word was God_."

The spirit hissed and leapt away from the water as if scorched.

"_Heavenly God, your soul becomes our heaven and our earth_," John continued and the spirit retreated into the hallway.

"_I'll have that bitch_," the spirit spat, "_if it's the last thing I do!_"

"No," Gene said calmly, "_you won't._" He raised his hand. "_Rin_—"

The spirit howled in anger.

"—_pyou_—"

"_For the life was manifested and we have seen it. We bear witness and show unto you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us_," John continued.

"—_tou_—"

The plates and cups on the table began to rattle, adding to the din. "_You won't drive me away! You will pay with your blood and your flesh for what you have done!_"

"—_sha_—"

The spirit lunged forward but did not cross the threshold into the room where John had sprinkled the holy water.

"—_kai_—"

"_And God spoke unto his children,_" John said, raising his voice above the rattling sounds. "_Making unto them a promise_."

"—_jin_—"

"_It's all your fault and I'll kill you for it!_" The spirit shrieked in anger and Kaori's eyes rolled backwards as the girl fainted. Mai struggled but caught her, slowing her body as it collapsed to the ground.

"—_retsu_—"

"_Murderous bitch! Filthy whore!_" Mai turned her head away from the sight and closed her eyes, wishing she could cover her ears to stop the awful shrieking sound and the hateful words.

"_In him was life, and the life was the light of men_." John's voice was nearly at a shout. "_The light shines in the darkness and the darkness will not overcome it_."

"—_zai_—"

"_Begone_," John said finally.

"—_zen_."

The howling stopped and the house was suddenly still.

Mai opened her eyes, letting out a deep breath. "Is it gone?" She whispered.

"For now," Gene said, dropping his arm to his side and exhaling slowly. "I don't think it'll come back tonight." He turned, noticing Kaori on the floor for the first time, the girl's head propped up in Mai's arms. "Is she okay?"

"She fainted," Mai explained. John knelt by her side, placing his palms on the floor. Mai could see that he was trembling, though she had a feeling it was a combination of adrenaline and exhaustion, rather than fear.

Gene was very still for a moment, his head turned slightly as if listening to something very quiet. "All of the equipment is on the fritz. I'll return to base and send Lin in my stead. He'll be here shortly."

"Is it okay to go by yourself?" Mai protested. She pulled her mobile from her pocket, fumbling with the device and cursing under her breath when she saw it wouldn't turn on. "Maybe John-san can go with you—"

"No, I think you should both stay with Kaori when she comes to." Gene smiled at her calmly. He didn't want Mai to know he'd already instructed his brother to tell Lin to come, nor that his motivation to leave stemmed from his desire to be alone with his brother. Banishing the spirit from the house had completely drained him and knew he was dangerously low in energy. Only his brother could replenish his psychic energy quickly by transferring to him some of his own. "The spirit won't bother us again tonight."

"Are you—" Mai protested, starting again.

"Mai," Gene said sternly, silencing her. "I'm sure," he said. He turned his head to John, a wry smile crossing his lips as he regarded the priest. "Thank you, John-san," he said. "I couldn't have done that without you."

"Ah," John said, still catching his breath. "No, thank you. Likewise."

Gene nodded at them and left the room. Several moments later, they heard the front door open and then close again.

Mai let out a deep breath. Her arms were beginning to ache from the way she held Kaori, but John seemed to notice her predicament and fetched several pillows from the sofa and helped maneuver the unconscious girl onto them.

"Well, that was… unexpected, I guess," Mai finally said.

A smile quirked on John's lips as he stood. "You could say that," he agreed. He also let out a loud breath, shaking his arms slightly. "Sorry," he said, looking abashed. "I feel kind of restless. I should probably meditate with prayer to calm myself."

"Shall I make some tea?" Mai asked.

John shook his head. "No—don't bother, I'm okay."

Mai nodded at Kaori. "She'll want some too."

"Well… if you insist," John finally agreed, following her tentatively into the kitchen. He watched as she boiled water and took cups from the cupboard. "Mai-san," he started slowly. "Gene-san and Naru-san aren't Japanese, are they?" Mai froze when John didn't call them by their Japanese names. John saw her expression and smiled. "I understand you probably can't tell me their true identities."

"That's not… exactly it," Mai said slowly, pouring the tea into the cups and passing one to John. After all, they were going by their true, given names. Taking the other two cups, they returned to the living room where Kaori still lay on the floor. Mai took a pillow and sat down next to Kaori, placing her hand on the girl's forehead. She frowned, feeling the heat. "Why… why do you think they're not Japanese?"

"Gene-san spoke to the spirit in English," John continued, speaking softly and seating himself across from Mai on the other side of the unconscious girl. "It was obvious to me before that he's a powerful medium, but to speak in English…" He set his tea down and folded his hands together as he thought, tapping his fingers against his chin. "If he were a perfect medium, of course, the spirit would understand him, no matter what language he spoke in. Choosing his native language would give the spirit no room to misunderstand."

Mai found that she didn't have anything to say and gazed as Kaori's peaceful features. She was trying to remember what John had known about the Davis twins—or if he had known anything at all. Surely he had heard of them, had known _something_—but she couldn't remember.

"I can understand," John started again, nodding. "Why they would hide their identities. If Ichirou-san truly is a perfect medium—he could be quite famous in some circles. It could be difficult to manage such celebrity. And together, surely, the pair must attract a lot of attention. Kazuya-san is incredibly brilliant."

"Please don't say anything to anyone," Mai whispered, knowing how important their anonymity was to Naru.

"Of course I won't." John said quickly, shaking his head and waving his hands in a reassuring gesture. "That's not my intention. And I doubt Kaori-san noticed. She was… very distraught. Understandably so."

"Thank you," Mai said gratefully.

John looked at her curiously. "Mai-san, you've been with those brothers for a very long time, haven't you? They both love you very much." Mai blushed, avoiding his gaze and picking up her tea. John too looked flustered. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be so direct. It's just that the office only just opened. It seems unlikely you came upon this job by chance."

"It _was_ chance," Mai said honestly. "It was completely an accident. But you're right. It was kind of a long time ago. But," she sighed and shook her head. "It also wasn't that long ago at all."

John regarded her curiously for a moment and then shook his head, chuckling. "Mai-san, I don't know what to say. You say such peculiar things so seriously."

Mai shrugged and averted her gaze. "Sorry."

"No, no." He shook his head again. "I don't mean that."

"When did you first suspect that they weren't Japanese?"

"Yesterday," John started slowly. "After I left the house. I recalled how you reminded me of where we had first met," he said, nodding at her. "Actually, I don't think I would have even remembered you at all except you spoke excellent English." He smiled wryly. "No one ever speaks to me in English, you know? Even when I visit the international church where I _know _many of the parishioners speak English. They only speak to me in Japanese, even when I can't understand them. So I was very surprised when you spoke English to me on the street. It had never happened before." He smiled again. "I would be happy to speak English with you anytime, Mai-san. If you ever want to."

Mai suddenly realized how lonesome John must have been, always speaking with his friends in a foreign language. She had never thought of it before and she bit her lip as her eyebrows knit together.

The blonde priest did not notice her expression, instead gazing into the liquid of his teacup. "And when Kazuya said "Gene"… the way you both tried to cover it so hurriedly," John said. "That was when I first suspected." He shrugged. "That and I saw Kazuya-san had a notebook full of English scribbles."

Mai giggled. "Yeah," she laughed weakly. "His handwriting is _atrocious_." She turned when she heard the front door open. "Lin-san?" She called.

"Yes," the Chinese man said as he entered the room. The man looked exhausted. "Sorry I'm late. I needed Gene to.. explain.. a few things to me." He frowned, kneeling next to Kaori. "She's still unconscious?" He rubbed his fingers in front of her nose and whispered something under his breath. Kaori's eyes opened and she started, smelling something that John and Mai could not.

"Are you alright?" Mai asked.

Kaori smiled weakly. "I'm… I'm fine."

Mai smiled as John passed her the tea. "Let me help you sit up. Here. Have a cup of tea."

"Did you… did she go away?"

"The spirit is gone for now," Lin said. "Kaori-san, you may be glad to know that it isn't your sister. Definitely not."

At his words, tears filled Kaori's eyes. "Thank god," she whispered, covering her face and she began to weep. "Thank god."

...

Lin had checked all of the cameras while Mai and John sat with Kaori. When he finished he came and sat with them, accepting Mai's offer of tea. It was some time before Lin told John he should leave.

"Brown-san, I don't want to sound ungrateful, but I know you're exhausted," Lin said. "I trust Ichirou's judgment that the spirit will not return tonight. It will likely return tomorrow, and you'll be doing everyone a favor if you're rested and prepared."

John nodded, considering. "Then I trust his instincts as well." He stood and bowed politely. "Thank you. I'll see you tomorrow." He nodded at Mai separately and left.

"Good night, John-san." Lin raised an eyebrow at Mai but said nothing.

Kaori yawned behind her hand. "Is it… is it really not going to come back tonight?"

"I assure you, it will not," Lin said. He reached into his vest pocket and passed her a piece of paper. "Even if Ichirou's suspicion is incorrect, the spirit will not be able to harm you with this."

Kaori held the paper up to the light, examining it curiously. "What is this?"

"A spell of protection. It will last through the night and I should have another ready to give to you tomorrow," Lin said. "Keep it close to you. Place it under your pillow as you sleep. If you bathe, keep it in the room and do not get it wet."

Kaori looked at Lin, mouth agape, and then to Mai. She finally shook her head. "I don't understand any of this, but I trust you." She rose to her feet and suddenly clasped Lin's hands in her own. "Thank you. Thank you very much!"

Lin looked embarrassed and obviously relieved when she released his hands. "Not at all."

"I'll walk you to your room?" Mai asked, and Kaori nodded in response.

...

Gene and Lin were sitting in the living room when Mai returned.

"Did Kaori go to bed?" Lin asked.

Mai shook her head. "Not yet. She's in the bath." She smiled as she sat down on the sofa, picking up her cup of tea. The contents were long cold but she sipped it anyway, settling back into the cushions and tucking her feet underneath her body. "It'll do her good, to relax a bit. She'll sleep well tonight."

"We all will," Lin said, exhaling. "Naru said we should all sleep tonight. He's configuring an alarm to go off should any of the reading spike in any way or if there's movement on the camera feeds."

"Good thing they have central heating and they don't have any pets," Gene said, yawning and resting his head in his hand. "Nothing should trip the sensors."

Mai hesitated. "It's really okay to leave her alone tonight? I can stay in the house." She gestured to the couch she was sitting on. "I can sleep here. I don't mind."

"She'll be okay," Gene said, closing his eyes. "The spirit isn't going to return tonight."

"It'll be fine, Mai," Lin reassured her. His phone buzzed and he lifted it to his ear. "Naru." He nodded once before speaking. "Understood. Let me know when you want me to test it." He closed his phone in his hand.

"To make sure the sensors work?" Mai asked.

"Not necessary," Gene mumbled. "Nothing's going to happen."

"Naru still insisted on taking percautions," Lin said. He glanced at Mai. "What did John say?"

Mai shrugged slightly, not sure what to say. "Not much," she said. "Though he's gathered that we all speak English." Lin frowned and Mai smiled apologetically. "It's my fault. I spoke to him in English when I saw him on the street in Ichigaya."

"Does he know who they are?"

"Well, I don't know about that," Mai started. Lin's frown deepened and Mai continued hurriedly. "Even if he figures out Naru and Gene's identities, I don't think he'll say anything," she said quickly. "He wouldn't do that."

Lin nodded slowly. "I'll have to tell Martin and Madoka if he does, though."

Gene yawned again, his eyes still closed. Mai and Lin were still speaking quietly and he only half-heartedly paid attention to their conversation.

"You don't agree, Mai?" Lin asked. "That the spirit won't return?"

"Hmm... well, I don't know." Mai sighed. "I guess I don't think it will. I dunno. It's funny, right? Earlier I felt so certain. But now I don't know. I don't really have good intuition about these sorts of things anymore."

Lin smiled wryly. "You just need a little more practice."

"Hmpf," Mai frowned. "How do you _practice _your instincts?"

Lin shrugged. "I'm sure Naru and Gene could come up with a way."

The two were quiet again for some time. Gene opened his eyes when Mai spoke again. "I can't help but wonder what happened to Kaori the last time. She didn't go to SPR."

"It's possible that John performed the exorcism," Lin said.

"I hope so," Mai said, though she didn't sound certain.

Gene's eyes closed again, though this time a vision was waiting for him.

He was standing on the school roof, a crisp spring breeze blowing his hair away from his face. His tie had become loose and it flapped irksomely at his shoulder.

The door opened behind him and he turned to watch Kaori step out onto the roof. She sighed with relief as she looked up at the sunny sky, raising her hand to shade her eyes. Her face began to relax as she stood there, forgetting whatever torment the girls from her class were giving her.

The girl had just sat down and had taken her mobile from her pocket when something grabbed her arm, pulling her forward. She cried out, dropping her mobile as her bare knees skid across the cement and she struggled to break free, but the grip that held her was tight and unyielding.

"Let me go," she cried, her ankles dragging across the roof. "_Let me go_!"

"_You should have known better than to come up here_," the spirit hissed, though Gene could not tell if she could hear it or not.

Kaori continued to struggle, beating the air desperately. She was at the railing and her toes barely touched the ground, the spirit's grip pulling her against the hold of gravity. Her body slammed against the railing and she whimpered in pain, her struggling ceasing with the shock. The spirit's grip tightened as it pulled her up and over the railing. Immediately it released her and suddenly she was falling.

Gene thought he heard laughter. He could not hear her body as it hit the cement over the roaring in his ears, but he most certainly _felt _the impact and could feel her bones crushing as if they were his own. His body jerked violently and he gasped for breath.

His brother's eyes were waiting for him when he opened his eyes. Still gasping, he groped for his hand, sending the vision to his brother while trying to prevent the physical pain from travelling with it. _This is what happened last time_, he told his twin telepathically. _This is what will happen again if we don't stop it_.

...

* * *

A/N: This chapter just took forever to write. -_- I can't apologize enough for making you wait this long. Thank you, _thank you _for reading, and please leave me a review. Let me know my mistakes so I can correct them, let me know your praise and your scorn. It's all good.

Thank you again for reading! Until next time - cheers!

-abbq


	12. Part XII

_**Part XII**_

The four had returned to the guest house hours ago to retire for the night, but Mai was still unable to sleep. Gene had clearly had a vision and Naru didn't even ask him what he had seen—rather, he seemed to already know without any spoken words passing between them. "We'll talk about it tomorrow," he had said simply, his weariness evident in his voice. "Gene's in no state to discuss now." Though his excuse only considered his brother, both of their exhaustion was apparent: the older of the twins would be asleep again as soon as his head hit the futon. And that was that. She'd nodded to him, suppressing her questions. Even Lin didn't ask questions, seemingly trusting the twins' judgment.

Laying awake on the futon after everyone else had gone to sleep, her thoughts tumbled endlessly in her mind. She supposed it was telepathy. It shouldn't have surprised her, really—knowing the twins, it was entirely plausible and nothing about it was unbelievable. And yet it _did_; she _was _surprised. Did Lin know? Either he did or he was able to hide his surprise. Before that moment, she'd never witnessed anything to hint at their possession of such an ability. Underneath her surprise, much to her shame, were feelings of jealousy. She also felt threatened. After all, if the brothers could communicate without speaking aloud, why would they bother? She tried to tell herself there was no reason to be envious, that she trusted both completely and that it was irrational to be jealous and completely unfounded—but laying awake, alone in the darkness, she was unable to convince herself completely.

When Mai finally did fall asleep, her sleep was not restful but replete of anxious dreams. The dreams started with leaving her apartment in a hurry and frantically trying to get to the office—_Naru will yell at me if I'm late_—and yet when she did arrive it was not the office at all, but rather Kaori's school. Passing through the hallways, she found she was looking for the other members of SPR: not only Naru, Gene and Lin, but also John and Masako, Ayako, Takigawa and Yasuhara. Several times she thought she saw someone just ahead only to find the students from her class looking down at her in disdain. _Taniyama, right? I'm sure you'll figure out how things work around here. _Shying away from the taunts of Kataoka and her friends, Mai hurried from the classroom only to find herself back at the base in the guest house. Running up the stairs, she found Lin working tirelessly at the computer and Gene surveying readings from the equipment. Neither of the men paid her any mind, absorbed in their own work.

It was at the end of her dream when she caught sight of her reflection in the glass. Seeing her full stomach, she became suddenly aware of the fact that she was pregnant. Looking around the room desperately, she was hit with the realization that was Naru was most definitely absent—not just from the room or the case as a whole, but absent from SPR and her life as an adult woman, heavy with child. He was not the father.

The tears that filled her eyes woke her when they trickled down her cheeks and into her ears. She rose and left the room silently, not about to let herself wake the others by crying over a silly dream. She went to the kitchen instead and made a cup of tea, trying to convince herself that was all it was.

...

The dream presented itself to him suddenly and in an almost matter-of-fact manner, too quickly for him to even consider creating the link for his brother to join him. He watched without emotion as the events of Yoshimasa's demise unfolded before him. After her death, Natsumi had searched for Yoshimasa in Arakawa and Tokyo first before following his brother to Kanazawa. Her spirit finally found him there, smoking on the roof of his new school. Crying out in both fear and anger, her spirit went for him and a struggle ensued. He was too close to the railing. Whether it had been her intention to kill him or not, it didn't matter. He couldn't possibly survive the fall.

Gene awoke, sweating but calm. He slowed his breathing, listening to his quiet surroundings. He had a feeling in the back of his mind that something was out of order, but it took some time before he could pinpoint what was not right. The room was just a little too quiet. As he listened, he realized he could distinguish between his brother's and Lin's steady breathing. He could feel the presence of the two, but Mai was no longer in the room.

Her place on the futon was empty, but reaching a hand over his brother's slumbering form he could feel it was still warm. Her absence confirmed that persistent feeling that something was amiss. He frowned slightly to himself, wondering for a moment if she'd just gotten up to use the loo. Closing his eyes, he spread his hand on the futon, stretching the fingers wide and placing his other hand on his brother's. He'd never borrowed his brother's abilities before, but at the time it didn't seem like a difficult measure. He only needed a second or two of psychometry to know if he should be worried about Mai or if he should wake the other two.

The vision was only several seconds, but it was long enough for him to see Mai's eyes open wide in the night, terrified of sleep. As she sat up he could see the lines on her cheeks were tears had fallen. She hugged her chest with trembling arms and left the room, all without making a sound.

Gene debated for only a second of whether to wake his brother before he rose and slipped out of the room, alone. He hurried down the hall and downstairs to find her sitting in the dim kitchen with a cup of tea.

She raised tired eyes to his and it was apparent that she was shaken. "Some tea?" She offered, her voice quaking.

"I'm okay," he said, drawing water from the tap and sitting next to her. "But what about you? Are you all right?"

She rested her face in her hands, covering her eyes. "I just had a bad dream. It's nothing... I know it's nothing."

"Want to talk about it?"

Mai shook her head, closing her eyes as she pressed her hand against her forehead. "I'm okay, Gene," she said, opening her eyes and managing a smile. "I just.. need to not dwell on it. It was just a bad dream."

He frowned, suddenly worried she'd seen the same vision he'd had, either from the evening before or from the middle of the night. "Not about Kaori—"

She shook her head again, quickly. "No, nothing like that. Nothing about the case, I think." Her voice wavered slightly and he peered at her questioningly. She smiled again, though this time the expression was forced. "I'm okay, Gene, really." She sighed and pushed her hands over her forehead, resting her elbows on the table. "We should be concerned about Kaori, not me. Do you and Naru know what you're going to do tomorrow? Did you come up with a plan? Lin-san will make the hitogata of Natsumi, won't he?"

Gene nodded. "He has all the preparations ready. Lin said it should be complete by mid-morning."

"Will Yoshimasa's spirit come back when the hitogata is complete? Will you convince him to leave when he returns?"

Gene paused and whet his lips. "Yeah, probably," he said vaguely. "I don't think it'll return to the house. I don't think it's able to; not after John's exorcism. We'll have to lure it out again at the school." He paused, watching her face for her reaction. "It'll be wary of us now, after what happened tonight. But there's probably a place Yoshimasa can't resist, if the opportunity presents itself. We'll take the hitogata there and perform another exorcism."

"A _jourei _cleanse?" She asked quietly.

"If we can," Gene said. "Hopefully if he believes he can enact his revenge he'll pass on his own. Otherwise, we'll have to force him to go."

Mai frowned a little. "That doesn't bother you?" Memories of how deeply Masako had been disturbed at the thought of forcing a spirit to return to the spiritual realm rose in her mind.

"When faced with the choice between the spirit or Kaori, I choose Kaori." Gene said evenly. "I know that what happened to Yoshimasa—his death, at least—was not his fault. But he allowed his spirit to become twisted in his quest for revenge against someone who has already left this world. I would prefer to convince him to leave of his own will. To trick him into satisfying his desire for revenge, even, to cleanse his spirit. But we must ensure Kaori's safety first. That is our priority."

Mai nodded slightly. "Yeah, I suppose you're right," she said, her voice dropping again. Her fingers tightened on her teacup and her eyes unfocused as she gazed at the table.

He frowned slightly, studying her. He could sense that her thoughts were elsewhere. "What's bothering you, Mai?"

Mai was silent for a moment. "I should be dead," she blurted, her voice falling to a whisper.

_Aha_, Gene thought. _So this was her dream._ "And so should I," he countered calmly.

"Do you ever think.. think that because he saved us..." She squeezed her hands together anxiously. "That Death will come for him? Because he brought us back to life?"

"No," Gene said sharply, his face hard. He didn't have to have his brother's reasoning or intellect to know what it was Mai had dreamed of to unsettle her so. He paused, his eyes softening slightly but his lips were still drawn in a stern line. "The universe doesn't work like that, Mai. Death isn't some entity keeping score or with quotas to fill. Noll saved our lives and that's all there is to it. He's not any more likely to die because of the fact."

Mai gazed at him, trembling. Gene's expression and tone made him look more like his brother than she'd ever seen before. Had she not known it was Gene sitting in front of her, she probably would have mistaken him for his twin.

"If it truly went against the nature of the universe, to save our lives, he wouldn't have been able to do it. Don't you think?" She said nothing, and Gene smiled slightly. "That's what I believe. If there is order in a chaotic universe, if there is a divine plan—surely we're only following it to the best of our abilities. What Noll did was only a small part of that."

His smile softened as he reached toward her, laying his hand upon hers. "Don't worry, Mai. My brother's bloody stubborn, you know? He's done some reckless things in the past—bringing us here, for starters—but now that we're all together I think he's a little more cautious. Don't you?"

Mai could only nod dumbly. A smile finally reached her lips and she grinned weakly. "That's what happens when you get older. You understand your own mortality better than before."

"And the three of us more than anyone." Gene agreed. "Drink your tea, Mai, and let's go back to bed. Noll will be angry with us if we're both deadbeats tomorrow."

She giggled and lifted the teacup. The sound was unnatural, but he knew her mood would slowly reverse itself. "Yeah. I guess you're right."

...

The rain had stopped in the night but it was still dark and overcast in the morning. Mai yawned behind her hand and she smiled apologetically at Naru, whose jaw tightened as he resisted to do the same. "Sleep all right?" he asked her lightly. She nodded in response but turned her gaze away. He frowned slightly, knowing what her averted eyes meant. He glanced at his brother, whose mouth was wide open in a long yawn. "Are you sure this is the best option, having Mai take the hitogata to the roof by herself? Yoshimasa's somewhat familiar with Mai now."

Gene nodded. "I'd offer to do it but after the exorcism yesterday... I don't think Yoshimasa would take the bait. Mai's never attacked him. And we certainly can't send Kaori because it's too easy to confuse her with Natsumi. After all, that's what he's been doing this entire time."

Naru turned toward Mai. "Does that sound all right to you?"

"Of course." She smiled as she inhaled the steam from her tea. "Whatever you think is best."

Naru frowned slightly. "I won't ask you to do it if you have any misgivings," he said.

Mai shook her head quickly. "I don't have any."

Gene looked up at a sound from the front hallway. "Kaori's here," he said. "Perhaps she wants to eat breakfast with us."

They had only just exchanged pleasantries and Kaori had sat down at the table when her mobile phone rang, her face blanching at the sound. "Oh, crap," she muttered. "I never called my mom yesterday." Steeling herself, she picked up the phone before the next ring. "Hi, Mom."

"Kaori?" Sitting next to her, Gene could just hear her mother's voice, and in turn passed the sound through their telepathic link to his brother so he could listen in as well. "How are you? Is everything okay? I was worried when you didn't call yesterday.."

"I'm sorry, Mom, everything's fine. I wasn't feel very well in the evening so I ate dinner and did my schoolwork and went right to bed," Kaori lied.

"Oh, honey," Kaori's mother's voice softened and her immediate concern was apparent. "Why don't you take the day off school and rest up."

"I'm fine now, Mom, I feel a lot better—" Kaori protested.

"Nonsense," Naru heard her mother say through the telepathic link from his twin. "If you aren't feeling your best it really would be better to take it easy, and then you'll be recovered for tomorrow. I'll call the school."

"Okay," Kaori agreed reluctantly.

"You rest up now, Kaori, okay?" 

"I will, Mom," Kaori promised. "Okay. Bye now. Love you too." She hung up the phone, giving the three a helpless look. "Now what?" she asked, spreading her hands. "She's going to call the school and tell them I'm sick. I can't go to school now."

"You'll stay home today, like your mother wants," Naru said without a moment of hesitation. "Ichirou is confident the spirit won't attack here. We'll confront it at the school. John and Lin can stay here with you if that would set you at ease."

Kaori passed her eyes between them. "Are you sure?"

Gene smiled at her. "Trust us, Kaori-san. By the end of today the spirit will be gone for good."

"Last night you said it wasn't Natsumi." Naru and Gene both nodded in unison and obvious relief crossed her face. "Then... who? Do you know who it is?"

"The spirit following you is that of Yoshimasa Itaru."

"Yoshimasa?" She gaped at them for a moment. "I didn't realize... that he had..." She couldn't bring herself to say the word _died_. "But... _why_? Why me?"

"It seems he is mistaking you for your sister." Naru said.

"When Yoshimasa died, he blamed the situation on her." Gene continued. "I don't believe it was her fault, though her spirit _did _visit him."

Kaori looked pained and her face darkened. "It was _his_ fault she died," she finally muttered.

"Well..." Gene's voice trailed off. "Natsumi did seem to think the same thing."

Kaori gazed at her tea in silence for several long moments. "And he won't come back here?" She finally ventured.

"Definitely not," Gene said confidently. He glanced at Mai, who had remained silent throughout most of the breakfast. "We'd better go to school, though, or we'll be late. C'mon, Mai."

...

Mai sat at her desk, occasionally fidgeting in her seat and nervously biting her fingertips. When she caught herself doing it she had to sit on her hands, but somehow she kept finding herself returning to the bad habit she'd thought she'd broken long ago.

Lin had been making the hitogata at the house since they'd left for school that morning. She and Gene had gone alone, as Kaori was staying home at her mother's request and Naru stayed to assist the onmyouji with the hitogata in the minute ways he could. She'd had no contact with any of the other members of SPR, not even Gene who was only several classrooms away down the hall.

Mai received the text message from Naru only seconds after the bell rang for lunch period, causing her to jump. Luckily the movement went unnoticed, the other students gratefully putting away their books and retrieving lunches from their desks or lockers. She retrieved the mobile from her pocket and flipped it open. _Ready_, the text read.

She left the classroom as if to go to the cafeteria, but ducked down a side hallway instead, heading for the front entrance. Naru was waiting for her outside the doors.

He passed her the hitogata, wrapped in a thin sheet of paper. "Lin put an obscuring spell on it," he told her. "Yoshimasa won't notice at first. But you'd better go straight to the roof. Depending on how eager he is to enact his revenge will give you more or less time."

"I'll go now," Mai said, turning to leave. "Gene said he'd meet me at the stairs."

Naru reached forward and touched her arm, causing her to stop. "Be careful." He said simply, a slight frown revealing his concern. "I'll be outside with Lin. And Gene will be right behind you."

Mai smiled reassuringly. "I'll be careful, Naru."

She hurried down the hallway, weaving between the students and saw Gene waiting for her near the stairwell. With a nod of his head he motioned for her to follow him, and the two hurried up the stairs before any passing students could notice them ascend. The stairs were completely empty at the third floor by the roof exit; it appeared to be a low-traffic area of the school. Gene tried the doorknob, frowning slightly to find it locked.

"I was hoping I wouldn't have to do this," he muttered, and dropped to a crouch by the lock, pulling a small, slender tool from his pocket. Mai gaped slightly as he picked the lock. He nodded in satisfaction when it opened. Peering outside, he made sure that there were no students outside before turning back to face Mai.

"Ready?" he asked, his hand still holding the door. Mai nodded. "I'll wait here," he said quietly. "Put the hitogata close to the edge of the roof but don't go too close yourself, and back away from it as soon as you've set it down. Hopefully Yoshimasa will take the bait, and if he feels he's enacted his revenge, he'll pass on immediately." His face tightened, his eyes darkening. "If not, we may have a more dangerous spirit on our hands. If he even looks your way as if he's going to come after you, Mai, call me immediately, understand?"

Mai nodded wordlessly and Gene gazed at her seriously. "Even if it means we'll botch this exorcism, call me the second you feel uneasy. Don't be afraid to use the Nine Cuts."

"Got it," she nodded again.

"Lin's shiki, me and Noll are all on standby—"

"Gene," Mai said, giving her best reassuring smile at the boy, "it'll be fine. I should hurry, though, right? The obscuring spell will wear off."

Gene pursed his lips slightly. "I know," he muttered. "Sorry. Just trying to be... cautious."

Mai nodded and touched his arm as she pulled open the door, stepping out onto the roof. She inhaled deeply, relishing both the quiet and the fresh outside air. As Gene had instructed her, she trotted quickly as she crossed the distance to the edge of the roof, unwrapping the hitogata from the paper and placing it on the ground, backing away. She glanced around, waiting for the spirit to appear, shivering slightly as a gust of wind blew across the roof. She hadn't even thought to bring a coat, she realized, frowning to herself. Steeling herself against the chill, she stared forward, watching the still hitogata where it lay. A minute passed, then two, and still nothing happened.

Mai bit her lip, glancing back toward the door where Gene was waiting. She'd assumed the spirit would appear immediately, and now that it hadn't she didn't know what to do. Was the obscuring spell stronger than Lin had thought? Or was there something else they'd overlooked? She pulled back her sleeve to look at her watch. It had been five minutes, now. How long should they leave the hitogata there, waiting for the spirit to take it?

There was a sudden crash behind her but Mai didn't even have time to jump—even as the noise reached her ears something heavy slammed into her back, knocking her from her feet and the breath out of her lungs. She caught herself with her hands to soften the fall on her knees, wincing as her palms scraped and her tights tore on the rough grit of the rooftop. She lifted her head quickly, looking for the spirit. She pressed her lips together tightly as she saw him, the shape of the spirit standing between herself and the hitogata.

"_You_," the spirit hissed, and Mai realized with a panic that it was not even looking at her—but past her, back toward the door. She turned to follow its gaze, afraid of what the crash she'd heard behind had been. Her eyes widened when she saw that the door had been wrenched from its hinges, the metal creased and bent at a severe angle. Gene was crouching several feet away, eyes narrowed as he stared the spirit down.

"Gene, are you okay?" Mai called desperately, willing him to stand up so she could see he was unhurt.

"I'm fine, Mai," he said calmly, though he did not turn to meet her gaze, his eyes steadfast on Yoshimasa's spirit. "He didn't hurt you when he knocked you down?" She shook her head and he nodded shortly. "Good. Stay where you are. Don't approach him."

"I suppose you're here to stop me from taking what's rightfully mine," Yoshimasa continued, advancing toward the hitogata with glee. "But you know what they say. An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth."

The spirit lunged for the piece of wood and it flew high into the air, up and over the railing that lined the roof, a slow arc as it descended toward the ground. "_This is what you did to me! This is all you deserve!_" The spirit screamed, its voice a vengeful howl. Mai covered her ears at the painful sound, but was unable to block its voice. She could hear the shrill scream of a girl, but knew it was what the spirit was projecting onto the hitogata—Gene had warned her that she might hear it—and it was cut short with the sickening, crushing sound of a body landing on solid pavement below. The spirit began to laugh insanely, overcome with glee to see its enemy's demise.

The laughter stopped and it suddenly hissed in anger. Mai looked up, instantly nervous and alert at the change in the spirit's mood.

"_No_," the spirit screamed, rage replacing its mirth. "_What are you doing there? You think you can save her?!_"

Mai knew with sudden certainty that Yoshimasa's spirit had seen Naru, waiting for them on the schoolgrounds below, and just as he had been unable to tell Kaori and Natsumi apart he was unable to distinguish the twins. To the enraged spirit, Naru was the same boy who had attacked him the night prior, who had used the Nine Cuts against him and had banished him from the house of his target.

"_I won't let you! I'll kill you too!_" The spirit screamed.

Her eyes widened when she saw the spirit lunge off the roof and was scrambling to her feet and running toward the edge of the roof before she even realized what she was doing. "Naru!" Mai cried, gripping the railing with white-knuckled hands. "_Look out!_"

From the distance she could see Naru straighten as she called his name, the spirit nothing more than a dark streak that rushed toward him, a being of hatred and murderous intent. Could he even see it? She didn't know. Seconds before the shape of the spirit would have collided with the unprotected boy, a light that was both silver and golden and incredibly bright suddenly surrounded him, growing in intensity and swallowing the black shadow of the spirit. It continued to brighten and Mai's eyes began to water at the searing light, though she couldn't tear her gaze away. An agonized scream echoed in the schoolyard before slowly fading away. The light remained for several moments in the silence before it, too, began to fade.

When the light had completely disappeared, Mai blinked as her eyes adjusted, still watering from the brightness, and focused on Naru on the ground below. Both he and Lin—whom she hadn't even noticed moments before, standing close behind him—stood looking up toward her and Gene, who had appeared at her side, having sprinted across the roof as soon as she herself had run toward the railing.

Gene's chest was still heaving. "He's gone," he whispered, exhaling heavily in relief. "Yoshimasa's spirit is gone."

Mai was completely dumbstruck by the strange light they'd just witnessed, unable to speak. "What was that?" She finally whispered, still staring down at Naru, afraid that if she blinked she'd see that he'd been possessed by the spirit.

"That," Gene said calmly, matter-of-factly, "was a _kekkai_. A psychic barrier."

"How... how did that happen?" She asked, her voice only marginally louder than before.

Gene frowned slightly, his eyes connected with his brother's. "That's a good question," he said quietly.

"What... what about Yoshimasa?" Mai blurted, swinging her head around to meet Gene's eyes. "What happened?"

He hesitated for only a second. "The kekkai forced him to go," he said simply, honestly. "He couldn't stay in this world when he tried to go through it."

Mai winced slightly, looking down at the ground beneath them where Naru and Lin were collecting the pieces of the shattered hitogata. "Then it was a forced exorcism."

"To put it simply, yes." He sighed, placing his hand on Mai's shoulder. "Revenge has its toll, Mai. Yoshimasa allowed himself to be completely consumed by hate. We gave him what he wanted and he still hadn't satisfied his desire to kill. We couldn't have convinced him to leave peacefully. He'll have to face the consequences of his actions. There's nothing more we can do." He sighed and shook his head, reaching toward her to take her by the arm, leading her away from the railing. "Let's go. Our work here is done. We need to tell Kaori that Yoshimasa's gone and close the case." He frowned as they approached the misshapen door, still sagging on its hinges. "I'll have to ask Lin what to do about that," he muttered. "Maybe he can ask Aahil or his other shiki to hide it from the students and school faculty until we can fix it."

Mai suddenly stopped in her tracks as she realized something, eyes wide and drawing in a shallow breath. "Gene, we need to hurry!" She exclaimed in a panic, grabbing his hand and pulling him forward as she tried to drag him inside.

Gene frowned, staring at her. "What's wrong?"

"The... barrier, if Naru used his PK—" her voice rose frantically. "Gene, you need to—"

"No, Mai," Gene said calmly, placing his hands on her shoulders to quiet her. "Noll didn't create it. He didn't use PK. He's fine." He gazed at her solemnly, waiting for her to calm down. "You hear me? He's fine."

Mai struggled for words. "But..." she frowned and crossed her arms across her chest. "Then _you_ created the psychic barrier? Or did Lin? I didn't know Lin could do that."

"He can create them," Gene admitted slowly, the two continuing down the stairs. "Though I don't think he could make one so quickly. No, Mai, it wasn't Lin, and it certainly wasn't me." He turned his head toward her and gazed at her with a curious and bemused expression on his face. "I'm pretty sure _you_ made that kekkai."

Mai stared at him incredulously and finally laughed nervously. "Come on, Gene, be serious. There's no way—"

"I _am _being serious," Gene said, holding her gaze. "Completely, one hundred percent." Mai faltered under his serious expression and he placed his hand gently on her shoulder. "Come on, Mai," he repeated. "Let's go."

...

Mai was undeniably nervous when she met Naru and Lin outside, but Gene glossed over what had happened as if it didn't matter. "Let's go to Kaori's straightaway," he said, leading the three toward the van.

Lin visibly hesitated and Naru pursed his lips, frowning at his twin, but Gene spoke again before his brother could counter. "I don't think now is the place or the time to discuss what just happened," he said, glancing at Mai. She had her hands stuffed deep in her pockets and was biting her lip, eyes trained on the ground and an unreadable expression on her face.

"And what do we tell Kaori? And John?"

"That the exorcism was successful." Gene shrugged and opened the front passenger seat of the vehicle, motioning for his brother to get in. "That the spirit was banished and can't come after Kaori any more. The truth, Noll."

Naru pointedly opened the back door rather than take his brother's offer to sit in the front, who shrugged and sat down. He slid into the back seat next to Mai. For the first time in many years, he could not decipher the look on her face. Exhaling silently, he simply took her hand in his own as Lin started the van and the vehicle pulled away from the school.

"Now may not be the time to talk about it," he murmured quietly, his voice only audible to her ears under the rumble of the car. "But.. thank you, for what you did. And that was... tremendously impressive."

Mai frowned slightly, unsettled, and would not meet his gaze. "But I didn't do anything, Naru. I really didn't."

...

John met them outside when they arrived at the house, his bright blue eyes hopeful as he saw them. Naru gave a short, affirmative nod, and the priest breathed a sigh of relief. "It worked, then?" He asked, leading the way and opening the front door.

"Not exactly as we planned," Naru admitted, removing his shoes and shrugging off his coat. Kaori met them in the hall, her eyes nervous and hands twisting together anxiously. "But the exorcism was successful." His face softened ever so slightly as he met the girl's eyes. "We can assure you that Yoshimasa Itaru will not bother you ever again," he informed her. "Our investigation is complete."

Kaori exhaled, her face and body relaxing at the news. "What a relief," she whispered, clasping her hands together, a soft smile lifting her features. Her dark curls fell over her face as she dipped her head. "Thank you," she breathed, bowing deeply. "I don't know how to express my gratitude. Thank you."

"We'd be happy to leave the equipment for a day and monitor the data to ensure he doesn't return," Gene said. "He's passed to the other side and cannot return, but if it would provide you peace of mind—"

Kaori shook her head. "No, I don't think that's necessary." She smiled again, meeting each of the team members' eyes in turn. "Thank you."

Naru inclined his head. "As you wish. Then we'll remove the cameras and pack up our equipment."

...

With John's assistance, breaking down and packing up the equipment went much faster than the set up had been when they'd arrived. Mai showed the young priest how to properly pack each camera into its case, how the cords were organized and how Lin liked the equipment arranged so he could pack it efficiently into the van, and he caught on quickly. Preoccupied with showing John their "dismantling techniques", as she liked to think of them, Mai nearly missed seeing Naru open the violin case on the piano and slip the letter back inside. Seeing her eyes on him, the boy shrugged slightly and went back to work.

"I guess that's it, then," Gene said, looking around the empty base with a wistful look on his face. He held up his hand at Mai until she mimicked his action so he could give her a high-five. "First case with SPR a success!" Mai smiled slightly at his antics but the warmth did not quite reach her eyes; Gene could see she was still preoccupied with what had happened earlier.

"We'd be happy for you to come by our office sometime," Naru said to John, passing him a business card. "If you're interested, we can give you a copy of our case report."

"Much obliged," John said, giving a short bow. "Thank you. I'll take you up on that."

Naru nodded toward Kaori. "We'll mail you a copy as well. It should arrive within the week. Please feel free to contact us at any time if you have any concerns. You can call the office and I believe you have Mai's mobile."

"Thank you."

Naru turned back to John. "Considering that Kaori-san didn't tell her parents what we would be doing, if her mother asks you, please feel free to tell her that you exorcised the spirit yourself to put her mind at ease."

John looked surprised. "Oh, well, I guess that depends on Kaori-san," he said, looking toward the girl. "Kaori-san, what would you like me to tell your parents, should they ask?"

"Oh, um," Kaori looked at a loss for words. "If you don't mind," she asked Naru, "it would be easier for me to simply tell my mother that John-san got rid of the spirit. She would believe you if you said there had been a spirit," she told John. "And then she would know I wasn't lying or making it up. And that it was gone."

John nodded politely. "As you wish."

"Um," Kaori started, hesitating, and then the girl bowed again, deeply, holding out an envelope to Naru and Gene with both hands. "Thank you so much, for everything you've done," she said. "I'm terribly indebted to you. Thank you."

"We're only happy we could assist," Naru said, bowing and his brother did the same, taking the proffered payment. Mai and Lin bowed politely as well.

After Gene took it from her, Kaori produced another envelope which she offered to John, bowing again. "Thank you, Father Brown-san."

John didn't seem to know what to do, but reluctantly took the envelope. "Grateful to be of assistance," he echoed, bowing as well. He waved a hand in parting to the other group. "I'll see you later." He smiled kindly to Kaori. "I would be happy to see you with your parents at church sometime, Kaori-san. Take care."

"Take care," Naru said, the others murmuring their goodbyes, and the four climbed back into the van.

"Well, then. Back to the office to unpack the equipment?" Gene asked, buckling his seatbelt.

"We need to return to the school," Lin said evenly. "We'd better do something about the door to the roof that my shiki have been concealing."

"Oh," Gene looked abashed. "Yeah. We'd better do that." When Naru raised an eyebrow at his brother, he continued, explaining. "Um. I'm afraid part of the exorcism involved that door getting blown off its hinges. I didn't mention it at the time." He shrugged. "Don't worry, Noll, I'll write up a _detailed account _for the report."

...

Classes were over for the day when they had arrived. Mai had left her schoolbag in the classroom, so she separated from the twins and Lin to retrieve it while they went to inspect the damage to the door. She was leaving the classroom and heading back to the main hall when, rounding a corner, she almost collided with another student, dropping the books she held in here arm as she avoided him. Much to her surprise, it was, once again, Yasuhara.

"Oh! Yasuhara-san," she exclaimed, bending down to pick up the books. "Excuse me, I'm so sorry."

Yasuhara picked up the book at his feet and looked at her curiously, smiling slightly as he passed it back to her. "I should apologize as well."

"No, it was my fault." Mai waved her hand vaguely. "I wasn't paying attention. Sorry."

"I'm intrigued that you remember my name," he said, tilting his head slightly as he studied her. "Though just yesterday, it was only in passing and we weren't introduced.."

"Oh! Forgive me. I don't mean to be rude. I'm Taniyama Mai." She introduced herself quickly, smiling brightly and bobbing her head.

"Yasuhara Osamu. Nice to meet you."

"Ah, well, I suppose I should be on my way..." Mai faltered slightly, nervous to be under his scrutiny.

"Your friend, from the other day," Yasuhara finally said thoughtfully. "What was her name?"

"Oh.. you mean Kaori? Murata Kaori." Mai said, tipping her head as she looked at him quizzically.

Yasuhara grinned. "Yeah. I had a feeling Yamano wouldn't tell me her real name. She here, by any chance?"

She shook her head. "No, Kaori-san was sick today and didn't come in."

"That's such a shame. I hope she feels better." Yasuhara grinned, if possible, even brighter. "You wouldn't give me her phone number, would you?"

Mai hesitated. "Um, well, I probably shouldn't give it to you without at least asking her first..." Yasuhara was a good guy, she knew, but it wasn't right to give out a girl's phone number to him without her consent—a girl she didn't even know very well. What would happen if Yasuhara started pursuing Kaori? She wondered. Yasuhara had been with plenty of casual girlfriends when she'd known him—but Kaori seemed nicer, smarter, and more mature than the impression she'd gotten from rest of them. Would she be setting the girl up for heartbreak or providing Yasuhara with a good distraction and a valid reason not to return to SPR, when the time came? She didn't know, and she bit her lip, wondering again if it was really possible to keep things as they had been, the last time around.

Her refusal didn't faze him in the slightest; Yasuhara simply shrugged. "No matter, I'll be back here in a couple days; maybe I can see her then." He smiled at her, eyes narrowing slightly as he studied her. "You're not a student here, are you, Taniyama-san?"

His question caught her off-guard. "Oh," Mai said again, fidgeting where she stood. "Well, no. Not exactly." She suddenly saw Naru's approaching form over Yasuhara's shoulder and she smiled slightly, lifting her hand to him in a wave.

Yasuhara turned as well, a curious smirk snaking across his lips. "This must be your boyfriend," he murmured nonchalantly, and Mai blushed at his spot-on observation. Seeing her flush, he laughed. "Sorry, but I'm always right about these things."

"Yasuhara Osamu," the boy introduced himself, nodding to Naru when he was within earshot.

"Shibuya Kazuya," Naru said as he inclined his head. He glanced at Mai. "Mai, ready to go?"

She nodded, shifting her books in her arms. "Yeah, I need to return these to the teacher's office." She dipped her head to Yasuhara as they turned to leave. "Well, I'll see you later..."

"Actually," Yasuhara said quickly, smiling and pulling out his mobile phone. "Could you give Kaori-san _my_ number? Or you can ask her if she wouldn't mind if you passed it along to me, and text it to me later."

"Okay," Mai agreed dubiously, still not sure how she felt about the development, and the two exchanged numbers quickly. Yasuhara grinned apologetically at Naru. "Thanks for being so understanding, Shibuya-san, though I assure you I don't have any ill-intentions with Taniyama-san's phone number."

"Certainly not," Naru said, sounding slightly bored.

"Well, then..." Mai excused themselves, inclining her head again politely. "Nice to see you, Yasuhara-san."

"Likewise, Taniyama-san, Shibuya-san. Take care."

"Oh, Yasuhara-san," Naru said, turning as they were about to leave and passing him his card, as if it were an afterthought. "My office is looking for several additional part-time investigators, so if you happen to know anyone, please feel free to pass along my information or direct them to our office."

Yasuhara looked at the card with a raised eyebrow, though he did not look skeptical the way some might upon reading the words '_Psychic Research_'. "I'll keep that in mind, Shibuya-san."

...

"You fixed the door, then?" Mai asked as she and Naru walked side-by-side down the empty hall.

"Not yet," Naru admitted, motioning with his head for her to follow him up the stairs. "Actually, I came to get you. Gene thinks I should do it with PK and I see no reason why not to try."

Mai frowned, biting her lip. The only time she'd seen Naru use PK—while realizing what it was he was doing, at least—was in the cave under the Yoshimi family inn, and the outcome still frightened her. "With Gene... you can use your PK safely, right?"

"Correct," he supplied. "And we thought it would be best if you were present. Considering you've never seen anyone pass a PK seed, it could be both illuminating and educational for you."

Mai's eyes were downcast as they rounded the corner and started up the last set of stairs. "It still makes me a little nervous," she muttered. Glancing to the side as they passed a hovering shadow, she frowned again slightly. "Is that... one of Lin's shiki?" She questioned.

Naru didn't even look to where her eyes were focused, knowing he couldn't see it himself. "Yes, they've established a perimeter, of sorts. Lin cast a simple spell to discourage anyone else from coming this way."

Lin and Gene were waiting for them as they came up to the last landing. "You really think Naru can fix this with his PK?" Mai asked dubiously, eyeing the mangled door.

"Noll can do it," Gene said confidently.

"The screws were simply wrenched from the hinge," Lin said, pointing to the area in question. "If we can bend the door back into shape it will be no problem to repair it."

"The door remembers its shape," Gene said calmly. "It should be easy to coax it back into it." He grinned at his brother. "Easy for Noll, at least."

Noll exhaled sharply through his nose, the sound almost but not quite a snort. "As always, Gene, I only do half of it."

Gene did snort loudly at this. "A little more than _half_."

Mai and Lin both stood back against the wall, watching the twins. "As you recall, the last time you saw Naru use PK he simply threw unbridled energy at the _ebisu_," Lin said quietly. "While not as much of his psychic energy will be needed, this will require substantial more control."

"Which is where Gene comes in," Mai said, just as quietly.

"Precisely. The longer they pass the energy between them, the easier it is for Naru to shape it and control it."

The twins had stepped apart several paces, forming a triangle with the door at the apex. Naru closed his eyes in concentration, while his brother's gaze was trained on his face. Mai watched in awe as Naru opened his eyes and held up his hands, a small ball of bright blue energy appearing between them. He tossed it toward Gene effortlessly, who caught it in his hands, turned it over, and tossed it back. It went from the size of a chestnut to the size of a tangerine in seconds, and as Naru caught it, he turned it over in his hands three times before tossing it back. When Gene caught it it was the size of a large apple, and as he turned it over in his hands it did not grow but instead began to change color. As Gene held it the silver light seemed to become more golden, the blue intensifying and lightening into white. Passing it back to his brother, they did this several more times, the color fluctuating slightly until it settled on a mix of lavender and pale golden yellow.

It looked like the sky, Mai thought, the sky at dusk or twilight when it was somehow blue and green and purple and rosy orange all at once. She realized she was sweating and as she reached to wipe her forehead, she noticed her arms were trembling.

"_Ready?_" She heard Gene ask, though she realized, with a frown, that his lips hadn't moved. Naru gave a short nod in return, and turning his body toward the door, raised his arm up in a gentle, sweeping motion as he received the last toss from Gene and directed it toward the door. His body moved fluidly in a way Mai had never seen before—_So this is qigong_, she thought—his arms moving gracefully together in a steady motion, his torso pivoting smoothly with his arms.

"Help me with this, Gene," Naru said calmly, and she watched in amazement as the door began to bend back into its original shape.

"The way it was before," Gene murmured. The entire door glowed as the metal began straighten and smooth. "That's right. A little more."

Mai felt her vision waver and she pressed her shaking hand to her head, trying to quell the dizziness. Naru said something to his brother but she couldn't understand him through the buzzing that had started ringing in her ears. Her vision swimming in front of her, she felt the ground shift between her feet and she stumbled, trying to regain her balance, barely noticing that Lin had reached out to catch her when she began to fall.

"Mai?" Lin asked and drew in a sharp intake of breath. Even without seeing him, she knew he was frowning. "_Aahil_," she heard Lin's voice through the noisy static in her ears. "_Create a shield in front of Mai. Nasida, help me draw the energy off of her._" Retrieving first something from his pocket and placing the small object on the ground, he placed his cool hand on her burning forehead. Mai closed her eyes, exhaling in relief at his comforting touch. Slowly she began to relax, her dizziness and trembling subsiding, and she felt the gentle current of psychic energy passing between her skin to Lin's hand. She was still very much aware of the energy, even after it left her body, and could feel it being collected in the object Lin had placed on the floor.

When Mai opened her eyes again she realized Lin was supporting her weight with one arm, the onmyouji kneeling on the floor and his other hand still at her forehead. "That was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," she murmured. "Is it over?"

Lin's eyes softened in relief, his lips quirking upwards in a smile. "They're finishing. Are you alright?"

She nodded briefly, though distracted as she tried to see the object on the floor. "What is that?"

Lin picked up the small object off from the floor and held it out for her to see. It was a flat red stone, banded with brown and white stripes. "Onyx. It can absorb a tremendous amount of psychic energy but cannot release it easily. Can you stand?"

Mai nodded, and Lin helped her to her feet, returning the stone to his pocket. As she turned her gaze back toward the twins, she saw Naru drop his hands, his body relaxing. They had finished.

"The molecular structure won't be the same. Ultimately, the metal will be weak in the crease where it was bent," Naru said, nodding in satisfaction. "But it shouldn't be an issue." The twins turned to face Lin and Mai, their faces changing instantly when they saw how Mai stood weakly, still holding onto Lin's arm for support.

"What happened?" Naru demanded as they strode over to the two quickly, eyes traveling between the tall Chinese man and Mai.

"Mai began to absorb the excess energy you two were releasing," Lin said quietly. "I drew it off before it became too much for her body to handle. I also had Aahil create a shield in front of us. I imagine the shield also prevented you from noticing what had happened."

Naru swung his gaze to Mai's, his eyes dark and nearly unreadable. One thing she could see clearly, however, was worry. "I'm sorry," she said, meeting his gaze nervously. The longer she held his gaze she more she could see how troubled he was, and that made her more anxious than anything else.

"Don't apologize, stupid," Gene chastised lightly, though she could see that the older twin was also unsettled. "I guess we shouldn't do that again."

"No," Naru said slowly. "Not for some time." His eyes searched her face. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel fine now," Mai said honestly. "Maybe just a little shaky." She looked at her hands. "A little jittery. And I guess I feel nervous and confused."

"Understandably," Gene said, his hand reaching forward as if to ruffle her hair. Naru frowned and grabbed his brother's elbow before he could touch her, shooting a questioning look at Lin.

"The residual energy shouldn't be a problem from Gene," Lin said quietly. Seeing Naru's pointed look, he winced and sighed slightly, correcting himself. "Nor.. from you, Noll. I'm sure it's dissipated from your hands already." He shook his head. "Let me put these screws back in the hinge, and let's go back to the apartment."

"But, the equipment in the van—" Mai began to protest, but the sorcerer silenced her with a frown.

"We'll unload the equipment tomorrow," Lin said evenly. "Right now our priority is dinner. Naru and Gene just used a sizeable amount of energy, and replenishing that is our first order of business. Not to mention after what just happened I wouldn't be surprised if you've exhausted yourself as well. While you may not feel it now, any after-effects will probably come soon."

Mai glanced nervously at Naru, his lips drawn in a thin line. "If Lin hadn't been there to drain off the excess energy you were taking in, it would have been disastrous," he said tightly.

She looked at her hands, cringing slightly as she remembered a time from long ago. "Like that time Madoka asked me to try to absorb and shape PK."

"Yes. Though the circumstances were completely different, the principle is the same. Simple energy overload." Naru frowned, and glanced at Lin. "Lin, it is imperative that you begin giving Mai qigong training immediately."

"I was going to suggest the same thing myself," Lin said, bending to align the free-standing door up with the hinges. "Gene," he gestured, and the older brother nodded, trotting over to give the other man a hand.

Mai watched as Gene held the door and Lin replaced the screws, but her attention was on the silent boy standing stiffly beside her, knowing that Naru's mind was racing, digesting the facts and probably calculating the beginning of a theory on what had just happened.

"I'm sorry," she said again, quietly.

Naru exhaled and shook his head, shifting his feet. "No, Mai, don't be sorry. This is just.. unexpected." A wry smile formed on his lips. "Don't apologize. You should be proud of your abilities. It's not an easy thing to absorb psychic energy like that."

Mai huffed and folded her arms across her chest. "My _special_ ability of being a hindrance."

"Don't say that," Naru frowned.

"Well—" Mai waved her hands in the air, gesturing ambiguously as she didn't know what to say, grumpy and irritated at the entire situation. "I did it _wrong_, obviously."

"Handling someone else's psychic energy doesn't come naturally to anyone," he said evenly. "I'm worried, yes, but only because I understand, perhaps as well as anyone can, how dangerous psychic energy can be," Naru continued quietly. "And if this was bound to happen, sooner or later, then I'm glad it happened now. When Lin was here to see what was happening. We're lucky this didn't happen on a case."

Mai looked at her hands, knowing he was right and bit her lip to keep herself quiet. She was as confused and annoyed as ever, but wouldn't allow herself to take her frustration out on him. "Yeah," she finally whispered softly, scowling at the floor. "It's unexpected, all right."

Lin straightened as he finished with the screws on the lower hinge. "Good as new," Gene said with a grin, closing the door.

"Not bad," Lin agreed, a small but tender smile on his lips as he glanced at the twins. Mai knew he would not say it aloud, but the man was undoubtedly proud of the twins, and proud of Naru as his once pupil and now a qigong master in his own right.

"Dinner?" Gene asked lightly. Seeing his brother standing stiffly and Mai still looked like she might either burst into tears or start an angry tirade—either was equally likely—Gene put an arm around each of their shoulders, pulling them close. "I think we'll all think a little clearer when we've eaten something."

"Yeah," Naru said, his voice only a little sullen. "You're probably right."

Lin breathed a sigh of relief and wondered how he had ever survived nine years of Naru without his twin brother.

...

The drive back to the apartment building passed in silence, and when they arrived at the apartment Lin began to prepare dinner while the three teenagers settled at the kitchen table. Mai pursed her lips as she watched Lin set a pot of water on the stove to boil and begin to effortlessly chop onion and cabbage, the feeling of watching someone else prepare dinner unfamiliar and almost disorienting.

"Is there anything I can do to help, Lin-san?"

The tall Chinese man paused. "There's frozen edamame in the freezer," he said. "Please heat that up for me, if you would. I'm afraid dinner tonight will be quite simple."

She nodded and hopped to her feet, watching as he tossed the onion in the pan, the vegetables sizzling and steaming in the hot oil, and he quickly sliced two carrots which went into the pan as well. "Yakisoba?" She questioned as he retrieved a package of thin, crinkly noodles from the cupboard. Seeing him then take a carton of vegetable stock she revised her guess. "Ramen?"

Lin shrugged his shoulders. "Close enough. I would have said _lo mein _if you'd asked directly, but I suppose they're just two sides of the same coin."

"It smells really good already," Mai said with a smile, dumping the frozen soybeans into a ceramic bowl, pouring a little water into the dish and placing it in the microwave.

By the time the edamame was ready, the soup was simmering on the stove and the noodles prepared, ready to add to the broth when the vegetables were cooked. "Should be less than ten minutes," Lin said as he sat down, his voice tired.

"Thank you for making dinner tonight," Mai said sincerely, setting the steaming bowl of edamame on the table with a second empty bowl for the pods. The four took turns reaching for the food hungrily, nibbling on the simple appetizer.

"So, what should we talk about first?" Gene asked his brother tentatively. "Mai creating the kekkai, or Mai absorbing our psychic energy?"

Naru leaned on his elbow, dropping the bean pod into the discard bowl and reaching for another. "I suppose it would make sense to discuss the latter, as I believe Mai could only create the psychic barrier because she'd been absorbing your energy for some time."

"You're _certain _it was me?" Mai asked Gene again, frowning.

Gene nodded. "When you created the kekkai the energy felt really familiar." He glanced at his brother. "It felt the same as if we had created the psychic barrier together," he continued. "In fact I'm pretty sure if we made one together, right now, it would look and feel almost exactly the same. No doubt about it."

"You also said that Aahil confirmed Mai's spiritual aura complements your own," Naru said, nodding at his brother. Lin also nodded at this in agreement.

"What does that mean, exactly?" Mai questioned.

"Your spiritual aura reflects your psychic energy," Lin stated. "As psychic twins, Gene's and Naru's auras complement each other. They fit together so closely—pardon the cliché, but it seems an apt analogy—like two halves of a whole."

"It's why I can absorb Naru's psychic energy, why we can pass the PK seed as you saw today," Gene said.

Naru nodded in agreement. "Everyone has some sort of spiritual aura, but it is rare that they can connect so seamlessly. While the a spiritual aura is intangible, imagine that it has defined, uneven edges." He held up his hands, his fingers spread wide to illustrate the point. "Our spiritual auras are so complex that the edges rarely align with others. When they do, it may be only partial, or a fraction of the aura that seems to overlap with another's." He placed his fingers together to demonstrate. "You can think of it as the interlocking pieces of a puzzle. Most people aren't doing the same puzzle and their pieces are completely different. In rare cases, some of the pieces, so to say, are interchangeable and fit together. Depending on how much the auras overlap determines their compatibility."

"So the edges of my aura align with Gene's?" Mai asked, eyes moving between the brothers.

Naru nodded. "To put it simply. I'd always suspected your aura was similar to Gene's, and Lin's shiki confirmed it. So similar, in fact, that it's like a mirror image. You take in the energy he releases naturally, just as Gene naturally absorbs energy from me."

Mai bit her lip. "So the reason I could create that psychic barrier today was because I had absorbed psychic energy from Gene..?"

He nodded again. "You've always been receptive to Gene's psychic energy. Gene is receptive to mine. In absorbing Gene's psychic energy, in turn you also took some from me."

"Best of both worlds," Gene joked, but held up his hands in apology when his brother shot him an annoyed look. "Sorry, Noll."

"So, last time..." Mai's voice trailed off and she bit her lip.

"You started having visions when you came in contact with Gene's spirit," Naru said. "His psychic energy was completely diminished, compared to now, and he couldn't serve as a link from me to you." he frowned, pursing his lips. "It would make sense that the kekkai was created with excess energy, as you weren't affected in the slightest by its creation."

"Right," Mai started slowly. "If I _did_ create the psychic barrier, I certainly did it without realizing it, and it wasn't like the way I felt before when I had visions. I always felt exhausted afterwards."

"Yes," Lin nodded. "Gene may have influenced you to have visions before, but you relied on your own psychic energy to carry them out. His presence may have awakened your psychic abilities, but it was only a nudge forward for you to realize your potential. Today, however, you weren't drawing on your own energy to make the barrier," he continued. "If you were to try to do it again, right now—not having the reserves built up as you did before, certainly it would be quite tasking indeed."

"If I even knew how to do that," Mai muttered. "Okay, so I had this extra energy, somehow. That still doesn't explain how I did it! I've never seen a psychic barrier, not like that, let alone know how to _make_ one."

Naru shrugged. "That, to me, is the only question at the heart of this matter. It may simply be the fact that your talents lie in your adaptability. Your instincts are finely tuned toward danger. Having the excess energy at your disposal allowed you to protect me without thinking when you saw I was in danger. Instinctually."

Mai frowned as he said the word _instinct_ again. "But... why didn't this happen before, then?" She protested, still unwilling to believe that she had created the psychic barrier herself.

"I was dead," Gene said simply. "The residual energy you absorbed from my spirit was completely minimal. It was enough for you to start having visions, and as you absorbed my psychic energy you taught yourself how to use your own."

"Great," Mai muttered, looking at her hands. "So the short of it is, I'm like a sponge. An uncontrollable sponge."

"Not uncontrollable," Lin countered quietly. "Just as qigong helped Naru learn how to control his PK, it will help you." He rose to his feet. "Now might be a good time to have dinner. The soup's probably ready now."

...

Mai and Lin had cleared the table after dinner, tidying the kitchen. When Mai returned to the sitting room, she smiled when she saw that the two brothers had both fallen asleep on the sofa.

"They must really be exhausted," she murmured, sliding the book out from Naru's hands and placing it on the adjacent table. No doubt he'd meant to read it and stay awake.

"Undoubtedly." Lin looked at her curiously. "I have to ask, you're not?"

She shook her head. "I feel fine, really."

He looked relieved. "That's good."

"A little tired, but nothing more than having a long day." She yawned into her hand and sat back down at the kitchen table. "It could have gone really bad, huh?" Mai asked quietly.

Lin nodded but said nothing.

"Thank you, for helping me. I would have been in serious trouble, for sure, if you hadn't been there."

He shook his head. "It was nothing, Mai," and the two lapsed into silence. The apartment was quiet again for some time.

"They can speak to each other using telepathy, can't they?" She asked slowly, glancing at the sleeping brothers.

Lin nodded again thoughtfully. "Yes, but it seems to be a recent development."

She nodded, speaking aloud to herself. "I thought I heard Gene, when they were passing the PK seed, but I'm pretty sure he didn't say it out loud."

"It probably came with the other energy you were absorbing," Lin said, nodding his head again.

"Yeah..." Mai scrunched up her face as she thought. "I don't understand," she said, her eyes squinting at him in confusion. "Lin-san, you helped draw the energy off me when it was too much. And you've done that before, too. Why... why couldn't you do that for Naru? I mean..." She faltered. "When Gene wasn't there. But it was the same reason Naru collapsed after using his PK, right? Psychic energy overload?"

"The magnitude of the psychic energy is completely different, Mai," Lin said quietly. "Imagine, if you will, that Naru is a sun, or a star. His psychic energy is radiation. As the sun radiates light and heat, he constantly radiates a small amount of energy, but at his core there is an unimaginable amount of energy in reserve. You absorbed the energy coming off of him, but you could also let go of that energy," he continued gently. "Naru cannot let go of his own energy like that, and I cannot take it from him. Only Gene can do that."

Mai frowned slightly, nibbling on her lower lip. "And actively using his PK would be like a burst of energy, like.. a sunspot or something."

Lin smiled slightly. "Yes. It's not a perfect analogy, but I find it's easier to think of these abstract matters in something more familiar and concrete." He fished the onyx stone from his pocket and passed it to Mai. "Take this stone."

"I can feel the energy in it," Mai marveled quietly.

"Yes," Lin agreed. "Like you, this stone can absorb and store energy. And as long as the energy fed to it was within its threshold, it would continue to absorb energy."

"And if it was above the threshold?"

"The stone would break." Lin said evenly. "Being an inert object, the stone has a high threshold. Though Naru could break this easily if he tried." Mai passed the stone back to him and he held it in his palm. "You have a human body, Mai, and we are fragile creatures. When I passed the energy you had absorbed from Gene and Naru to the stone it became hot, much too hot to touch. When your body absorbed the psychic energy you had an equivalent reaction, infinitely more complex and dangerous because you are not a stone."

"So qigong would help me avoid feeling ill when being around their energy."

"To mitigate the effects of overexposure." Lin nodded. "To be clear, it is only when Gene and Naru manipulate their psychic energy together the way they did today that poses a threat to you. This "sunspot" occurrence, if you will. The purpose of qigong is to first teach you how to absorb energy like the stone. How to stabilize the energy your body takes in. With practice, you raise your own threshold. The complementary side is to teach you how to control what you've absorbed; how to release it." He held up the stone again. "This stone can absorb energy, but it cannot release it without someone to coax it."

"So at least I'm better than a stone," Mai said brightly. "I made that kekkai."

A smile twitched at Lin's lips. "Though the first step is to become as much like the stone as possible."

"Thanks, Lin-san," Mai teased, giggling. "Naru may be a sun, but the best I can aim for is just a _rock_."

Lin's smile curved as it widened. "What is a stone but a collection of stable matter? What is a star besides a lump of burning hydrogen?"

Mai shrugged her shoulders at Lin's philosophical answer. "Okay, then, what's Gene in this metaphor?"

"Astronaut," a voice said from behind them. Turning, Mai saw Gene standing sleepily in the doorway, leaning against the frame. "Definitely a space-traveling astronaut." He squinted at the clock on the wall. "Is it really only nine-thirty? Feels like the middle of the night."

"It became late. I should walk you home, Mai," Lin said, returning the stone to his pocket.

Gene shrugged, crossing the kitchen to draw some water from the tap. "Stay here," he said nonchalantly. "You can sleep in Noll's bed, Mai. I don't think he'll wake up to move from the sofa." He shrugged again and grinned at her. "Though I'm pretty sure he wouldn't mind to find you there if he did."

Mai blushed, wondering if Gene would say such a thing when he was completely awake and coherent. "I'll just go home," she said. She held up her hands as Lin crossed the room, reaching for his coat. "It's fine, Lin-san, you don't have to walk with me. It's only two blocks. Thank you, but you're exhausted too."

Lin paused but took his coat anyway. "I don't mind, Mai," he said. "And I need a little fresh air before I sleep tonight."

...

"When should we start my qigong training?" Mai asked Lin as the two walked down the quiet street.

Lin pursed his lips. "As Naru said, we should begin as soon as possible. I prefer an early morning session; I find it easier to begin training with the fresh day, rather than to try to unburden oneself with the troubles the day has inevitably accumulated. As a beginner, it will certainly be easier for you."

Mai nodded, having supposed as much. If Lin was going to give her qigong training it would have to be either before or after school; knowing Lin it was more likely to be the former. "Tomorrow morning, then? What time?"

"We can wait a day if you prefer."

"Hmmm, no, it's probably better to start right away," Mai said decisively. "How long would it take? The session, I mean?"

Lin considered her. "Let's start with an hour long session. It may be shorter, in actuality, but it would be better to plan a little extra time." He smiled apologetically. "I'm afraid you may find the beginning sessions to be rather uneventful. I don't know how often you practice meditation—"

"Pretty much never," Mai admitted, embarrassed.

"You needn't be ashamed, Mai," Lin said, and the tall man smiled ruefully. "I always thought it would be beneficial to go over meditation with you, and Naru and I had discussed a basic training regimen when you first came to London. Of course, it didn't happen, as the more time passed the easier it was to put it off. It's obvious now that we should have."

"Sorry," Mai muttered. "Again, my fault. If that one time with Madoka hadn't happened..." her voice trailed off. She didn't allow herself to think of that often; if she hadn't been so foolish to allow Madoka's PK experiment, would she have lost her abilities the way she had? Would she have been able to continue as an investigator at Naru's side, rather than being relegated clerical work on most of the cases?

"It's not," Lin said sternly, shaking his head. "Besides, Mai, you are only a sixteen year old girl." He quirked a smile at her. "Last time at sixteen, you knew nothing of meditation, so any way you look at it, this will be an early start."

"Fifteen," Mai whispered, looking at her hands and suddenly feeling both very young and foolish and, at the same time, very old for her age. "I'm only fifteen."

"Then even more so. This will be your fresh start to learn more breathing exercises and meditation techniques than you ever imagined." Lin smiled, and Mai found herself grinning as well. "Shall I come by at five?"

Mai nodded agreeably. "Sounds good to me."

"Don't eat breakfast," he instructed, and she nodded.

"Okay." Suddenly overcome with emotion, she threw her arms around the tall man's middle, hugging him tightly. "Thank you, Lin-san," she whispered. "For everything. I'm so lucky to have a great friend like you. I never thought.. when we first met.. that we would be friends like this. But I'm so glad. Thank you."

Lin patted the top of her head gently, a fond smile on his lips. "And I should say likewise, Mai."


	13. Part XIII

_Well this chapter kind of got out of control. Warning! Inappropriate realism that has no place in fanfiction in the form of adult talk about intimacy ahead. You've been advised._

_**Part XIII**_

It was the same dream; and yet, it was different.

She was watching the feeds from the monitors, discussing some mundane details of the case with Gene when the realization came to her suddenly, sharply and painfully like a physical blow. _Where is Naru_, she thought frantically, jumping up in a panic and looking around the base. Nothing looked out of the ordinary; the equipment stacked on the shelves the way it always was and the computers lined up as usual. There were even the few errant but familiar teacups, scattered on the table among the stacks of papers. But it was empty, without him; it seemed a pale imitation of a case when _he _wasn't there.

She wasn't alone with Gene in the base, not only Lin but Yasuhara and Takigawa were there as well. John and Masako entered the room but she ignored them; they were not who she was looking for. _Why isn't he here? What happened to him?_ She demanded, and all eyes swung toward her own. Gene and Lin were watching her with uneasy and worried looks on their faces; the other four simply looked bewildered.

_Who, Jou-chan? _Takigawa asked gently, and she wanted to scream in frustration.

_Is her psychometry picking up something from the house?_ John asked, the worry plain on his innocent face. _Is it the spirit?_

She felt like she was losing her mind. She knew he'd been gone for a long time; but at the same time she couldn't even imagine the possibility, let alone remember the circumstances. What could have happened that he would leave _her_; leave his office, his work, his friends? _Where did he go?_ Her hand fell on her stomach and she refused to look down, knowing what that swell meant. Just as before, she simply _knew _he was not the father of her unborn child. He'd been gone much longer than the five months along that she was in this pregnancy. Tears gathered in her wide eyes and slipped down her cheeks, but she made no motion to brush them away. Unseeing, she stood in the middle of the room and the tears continued to fall, grasping at a small enamel brooch she had pinned to her scarf near her throat.

_Mai, calm down_. It was Gene who spoke, Gene who guided her to sit on the sofa at the far end of the room, Gene who brushed the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs and knelt in front of her to take her hands in his own. _Look at me, Mai. Breathe deeply. It's all right. Everything's going to be all right. Okay?_

_You shouldn't have brought her here, Gene_, Lin reprimanded quietly, his voice pained. _You should've known better_.

Gene ignored him. _Think of your baby, Mai. I want you to calm down and listen to its heartbeat inside you. Concentrate._

His voice was faraway now. _Close your eyes. Listen. Good. Now relax. Relax, Mai._

Mai opened her eyes, passing a trembling hand to her forehead, even as Gene's voice echoed in her mind. _Relax._

"'m trying," she mumbled aloud, wiping at her damp eyes with the back of her sleeve. She sat up slowly in the darkness, trying to breathe deeply to ease her trembling. _It was just a dream_, she told herself, willing herself to believe it.

Already she was beginning to forget the particulars, though two facts from the dream continued to shine clear in her mind. Firstly, that Naru was not there, and secondly, that somehow she was pregnant with _another man's child_. The thought of even having dreamed the scenario made her feel guilty and unfaithful. Even if he got tired of her and left her—not that he _would_, she had to remind herself—she couldn't imagine ever being with anyone else.

Most of all, however, it was the absence of Naru in her dream that made her afraid. _Just a dream, Mai, just forget it, it was just a dumb, stupid, bad dream_—but she couldn't shake the uneasy feeling from her mind or ignore the pit of dread that had begun to grow in her stomach.

She rose from her futon and switched on the lamp, pulling a sweater over her thin sleeping shirt and avoiding her gaze in the mirror, afraid of what she would see if she looked. She hopped slightly as she pulled on her socks hurriedly and switched off the light as she left the room, sliding the door closed behind her as she made her way to the kitchen.

She set water to boil, finding solace in the simple matter of _doing something_—anything would suffice—to keep her mind from dwelling on the dream. She didn't even bother to make tea but poured the hot water into her cup, taking it to the kotatsu and sitting down and sliding under the blanket, relishing the warmth of the heater in the otherwise chilly room.

Mai was alternating between sipping and blowing on the hot water, trying very hard not to think of anything when there was soft knock at her front door. "May I come in?" a voice called.

She jumped at the sound. "Gene?" Mai called back, eyebrows furrowing. "What are you doing here?"

He gave her an uneven grin as he slid open the door. "I saw your light from the street," he explained, slipping off his shoes and crossing the open room.

She frowned in her confusion, though she was grateful to see him. "What are you doing up in the middle of the night?"

He shrugged, sitting down by her side and pulling the blanket of the kotatsu over his legs. "Couldn't sleep. I thought I'd do a circuit around the block." He paused, trying to laugh, though the sound was a little forced. "Maybe I knew that you were in distress and I should visit you."

Mai looked at her hands. "You joke about that, Gene, but after everything that happened today—yesterday—it could very well be true, couldn't it?"

He shrugged. "Maybe." He met her eyes, then, gaze softening and smiling gently. "You're in a bit of a dreadful state. Bad dream?"

"Yeah. Just a bad dream," Mai whispered. "I need to forget about it." Even as she said this, however, she knew she couldn't forget that sinking feeling—_where is Naru in this dream, why is he not the father of my child_—

"I'll listen, if it would help to talk about it," he offered.

"I don't..." She closed her eyes. How could she find the words to tell Gene what she had dreamed? "I don't know if I can. It'd probably feel better to get it off my chest, but..."

"Then just show me," he said, and she laughed weakly.

"Gene, I wouldn't have the slightest idea how to begin to do that." She gestured with her hand between the two of them. "You and Naru may say that our spiritual auras or whatever are compatible and I'm absorbing psychic energy from you, but I don't _feel_ anything and I have no idea what this all means." She looked at her hands and placed them flat on the table. "Not really. I mean, before I had random visions—"

"Not exactly random, if they always pertained to the case you were working on," Gene interrupted blandly.

"—well, okay, but it wasn't really more than that—"

"Precognitive and post-cognitive visions, clairvoyancy, not to mention astral projection," he reminded her, scratching his chin.

Mai frowned at him. "What I'm _trying _to say is that I don't understand, that's all. I don't understand anything. I don't know what me being able to absorb your psychic energy means. I mean, clearly, yesterday was too much, but how _much _is too much? What does this _mean_? And what do I _do_, now that I have it?"

"I think the qigong training is supposed to help with that," Gene said dryly.

"Will you guys ever be able to _do that_ again with me around? Exchange your psychic energy like that?" She said, remembering how moving it had been to watch the brothers pass visible psychic energy between them. When she'd told Lin it had been the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen, she'd meant it with all her heart, though really it was beyond beauty—it was visually comforting and tangibly compassionate, it was evidence manifest of the bond the brothers held together and most of all it was _right_. Nothing should stop the twins from being able to do that, least of all herself. Her voice rose slightly. "And will I start having visions again, and if I'm using energy from you, will it be more than that? Will I—will I..."

"Mai," Gene said gently. "Calm down. Yes, it _will_ be different. It seems now that the last time you never realized your full potential. But that's why I'm here." he reached across the table and took her hand gently. "And Noll and Lin. Surely you don't need me to remind you how brilliant Noll is; with all his knowledge and cleverness at his disposal, there's nothing he can't figure out. Right?"

Mai nodded, trying to calm her breathing as she realized she was trembling. At the mention of his brother, for some reason, she felt like bursting into tears.

"And Lin—well, Lin doesn't really let on, but he's a terribly powerful onmyouji," he smiled wryly. "He's probably the only person in the world who could properly train Noll, and he's got years and years of experience. He'll be a very capable teacher."

"I know," she whispered. She felt like a rubber band stretched to its limit, high strung and ready to snap. "I—I..." She didn't really know what to say and hung her head. "I just thought things would be simple. That we could go forward, you and me and Naru—" Her voice broke at his name.

"Simple," he scoffed. "Nothing fun in that." He smiled at her, tilting his head. "You don't need to worry, Mai," he repeated calmly, though his eyes were pleading and betrayed his own anxiety. "It sounds like a lot, but we'll go one step at a time. Little by little."

"Yeah," she breathed. She sighed and squeezed his hand that still gripped hers, closing her eyes. "I guess I'm just getting ahead of myself. Sorry. I don't mean to... get all worked up." Her other hand reached to her forehead, rubbing her temple. She was dangerously close to losing her composure, but if she just breathed deeply she would calm down—or at least she hoped she would.

Gene watched her in silence for several moments, finally exhaling and biting his lower lip. "Show me your dream, Mai," he said quietly. "I don't think you should keep it bottled up inside you any longer." He could see she was about to protest and laid his other hand on the table, palm facing upwards in a gesture for her to take it. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes," she said simply, without hesitation.

"Remember how I looked into your memories before?"

She nodded, taking the hand.

"That time I just kind of plunged in. That's one way to do it," he admitted ruefully. "And knowing what we do now, I guess it makes sense that I got so much from you—that I saw so many memories, so much more than I intended. But you can show me as well, you can open your thoughts to me and push them to the surface for me to skim over and see. If you do this, when you show me your dream I won't see anything else."

"Okay," Mai said, hesitating.

"Close your eyes," he soothed, and she complied without resistance. "Imagine your mind and every memory within it is a deep, deep lake," he started quietly. "You _are _the lake; you are floating inside it. All your memories—everything from your entire life, past, present, future—are contained in the lake and are all around you: distant ones, recent ones. Dim memories you think you've completely forgotten but are just deep within the lake." His right hand let go of hers and reached forward, cradling her cheek even as his left still held her other hand tightly. "Take the memory, the thoughts of your dream and push it to the surface of the lake. I'll be there at the surface."

As he instructed her, he slowly began to reach out with his own mind, waiting to see what she would show him. Just as slowly, the dream began to trickle into his consciousness. It was not the full dream but only glimpses, and he could see that he was missing something integral, even if he had the gist. They were on a case, that much was clear. He could see the usual set up of computers and monitors at base. Both he and Lin were there in the dream, some others as well. However, it was obvious his brother was not.

Mai was panicking in the dream and he was trying to calm her. She was looking for his absent brother. As he delved into this thought the missing piece of the vision came to him suddenly: the fact that this adult Mai was pregnant and the sure knowledge that Noll was not the father.

Mai opened her eyes and the last vestiges of the dream slipped from his mind as he dropped his hand from her cheek. Her eyes seemed unusually large and dark in the dim light, her expression anxious.

"Tell me it was just a dream, Gene," she whispered. "It was the same dream from yesterday, only different." She closed her eyes as she thought, pursing her lips as she tried to explain. "Yesterday's dream was more specific; I was at Kaori's school and at Kaori's house. It was _that_ case we were working on, even if I knew somehow that I was older." She couldn't bring herself to add aloud _and pregnant_. "But this one..." she swallowed and opened her eyes, meeting his gaze. He could see her fear in her eyes and could feel it in her fluttering pulse at her wrist. "It seemed more real, more tangible somehow."

"It wasn't real," Gene said automatically.

"I've never had precognitive dreams like that before," Mai continued. "I've never.. never had visions of something so far in the future. There's no reason it should start now. Right?" She pleaded.

"It was just a dream," he said, wanting to reassure her from her fears. He placed his hand on hers again and smiled gently, even if inside he was suddenly just as anxious as she. How could he reassure her when he truly didn't know: was a simply a dream or was it a shadow of the future? And if it was, why was it appearing _now_, what could that possibly mean?

"I don't think I ever told you.. how when I remembered my death and everything that happened before, I also had visions of the future. Our future together. Me, you and Noll." He swallowed and whet his lips. He'd told himself he wouldn't tell this to Mai—he hadn't even told his brother anything but the broadest details, and that was only by accident. But he wanted to say the words to reassure himself, just as much as Mai surely needed to hear them. "I had several visions of the three of us together and my niece. Your daughter." Mai's eyes grew surprised, almost incredulous, and Gene continued. "She was a really beautiful girl," he said, smiling wistfully. "And brilliant, of course. As if heaven had taken all the best parts of you and Noll and put them together in a tidy package."

Mai exhaled deeply and squeezed his hands, closing her eyes. "Oh... Gene." She sighed again, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. "You probably shouldn't have told me that."

Gene shrugged, some of his own anxiety lifting. "Maybe," he said, "but I don't want you to lay awake, fearing for the future."

She tilted her head back and forth, an ambiguous and somehow endearing expression he'd seen her use before, but she kept her eyes closed. Without her open eyes to see him, he found himself studying her face, his gaze traveling from her gently curved eyebrows above her dark eyelashes, noting the two small birthmarks on her cheek beneath her right eye, so pale they were barely visible, passing her rounded nose to rest on her pink lips. Her hair was mussed from sleep and he had the sudden desire to untangle it with his fingers and place his hand on her cheek again to feel her skin. "Do you want Noll to be here?" Gene suddenly asked quietly, pulling his hands away from hers. She opened her eyes and he did not meet her gaze. "I'll go wake him up. Or we can go back to our apartment together."

Mai shook her head slowly, even though that was _exactly _what she wanted. She wanted to see him, to hear his voice. She wanted to feel his body curled around hers, the gentle weight of his arm draped over her side and his quiet, steady breathing, blowing gently on the back of her neck. "No," she started, hesitating, and turned her head to look at the clock on the shelf behind her. "My first training session with Lin starts in an hour, anyway. I should probably try to go back to sleep."

Gene frowned as he turned his face back to hers, worry etching itself into his sincere features. "Will you be able to sleep?"

She laughed quietly as she rose to her feet, though the sound seemed both bitter and anguished. "I don't know, Gene, but I should at least try, right?" When he had risen to his feet she hugged him tightly. "Thank you," she whispered in a voice so soft he could almost not hear her. "For everything." She released him and looked up at his face, trying to decipher the expression on his face. "What about you?"

"I'll be fine," he said quietly, willing her to believe him; for him to convince himself. "I'll sleep." He turned her shoulders and gently pushed her toward her bedroom. "Go back to sleep, Mai. I'll see you this afternoon, after school."

...

Gene was surprised to see the light on at the apartment when he returned. Stepping inside, he closed the door behind him as he slid off his shoes, knowing it would be his brother that was awake, rather than Lin. As he entered the apartment he could see his assumption had been correct. His twin was sitting at the dining room table, referencing a book and writing something on a notepad. He must have only just gotten up, Gene reasoned, as his teacup was still mostly full and steaming by his hand. Otherwise, he looked much the same as himself: a sweater thrown over the clothes he'd slept in, dark blue eyes alert on a tired and drawn face, and a pale shadow of stubble around his chin.

"Hullo," his brother said monotonously, looking up to meet his gaze. "Couldn't sleep?"

"No," Gene answered truthfully. "You either?" Naru shook his head listlessly and gestured for him to join him at the table.

"Guess that makes three of us," Gene sighed, sliding into the chair and taking a sip of his brother's tea. "Mai's light was on when I went out." Naru's hand stilled and Gene continued. "She said she had a bad dream. I asked her to come back here to see you, but she said she'd try to go back to sleep." He snorted slightly in annoyance. "Before you get jealous on me, Noll, she was disappointed when it was me who showed up. And I _know _she wanted to see you, but she probably didn't want to bother you." He shook his head in admonishment. "I should have checked to see if you were awake—"

Naru shook his head. "It's probably better for her to go back to sleep. She's already going to be losing sleep; I don't want to be the cause of her drifting off during her afternoon classes." He frowned at his hands. "Quite honestly, I wish Mai didn't have to go to school."

"It'd be a lot easier, wouldn't it?" Gene agreed, exhaling and buzzing his lips. He watched his brother silently for several moments. "I know you're worried, Noll. What is it?" He smiled sardonically. "Besides the obvious, I guess."

Naru shook his head slowly, thoughtfully. "Before, I was quite content to encourage Mai to continue with her studies." His lips lifted in a wry smile. "At first, she was not thrilled about the prospect of re-doing two years of high school—"

"Who would be?" Gene interrupted, standing up and stepping into the kitchen. Out of view, Naru could hear his twin rummaging in the cupboard and turning on the convection oven, returning moments later with two plates.

"When she first expressed her displeasure at going back to school, I was the one who convinced her it would be best to travel the same path as before. Logically, she should graduate from high school. There is such a stigma—especially here—to those haven't completed their secondary education." Naru continued, placing the plates on the table as his brother passed them to him. "But knowing what we do now..."

"You want her to drop out so Lin can train her full time?" Gene asked, reaching over his brother's shoulder to pick up his teacup, drinking the last the tea.

Naru looked slightly annoyed as Gene set the empty teacup down on his papers. "Not only for Lin's training," he said quietly. "Eventually, the two of you will have to work together to see what Mai's capable of. What Mai's abilities mean for you and vice versa."

Gene sighed, sitting down heavily in his chair. "Not just the two of us," he corrected. "Me and you. Myself and Mai. And you and Mai." He held up his hands, forming a triangle with his thumbs and index fingers. "Surely you're not pretending to be left out of this loop, brother dearest."

Naru shook his head slowly. "No," he agreed. "The three of us experimenting with our psychic energy may be the ideal eventual stage of her training, but it may be a long way off. Between school and SPR, Mai's schedule is already as full as we should ask it to be. We're lucky her school is as lax as it is. The principal and her guidance counselor have agreed to her part-time job and will allow her to miss the occasional school day, but they might change their minds if her grades begin to drop. Lin himself said there's no way to evaluate how much time we should plan on designating toward developing control over her abilities—not yet, at least—but it's not going to be easy."

"We'll just have to manage SPR without her," Gene said.

Naru nodded. "It very well may come to that. Her schoolwork and now training with Lin will have to take precedence. SPR is no longer a priority."

Gene rose to his feet quietly and took his brother's teacup to the kitchen. When he returned he held two full cups and passed one to his twin. "Neither of us have reached our full potential," he suddenly said quietly, easing into his chair. "I said that before to you. Remember?" He exhaled quietly. "I feel the same way now. It's just a feeling, in the back of my mind. But I think it has to do with Mai's abilities. Her being able to absorb my energy, and in turn take in yours..." His voice trailed off. "We don't know what it means."

"I don't like not knowing," Naru admitted quietly, staring at the cup of tea his brother had given him. "It's dangerous, not knowing." He shook his head to himself slowly. "I never should have taken her abilities so lightly, when we first met. I should have been more careful. I should have seen that she started training in England immediately."

"Hindsight is always 20/20," his brother intoned quietly. "You can't blame yourself for anything. There's no way you could have known. You suspected Mai's abilities were receptive to mine, but you never could have confirmed anything because I was dead." Naru flinched slightly and Gene continued. "You're not one for looking back on the past with regret, Noll. What else is bothering you? There's more on your mind than just Mai."

Naru frowned, lifting his teacup. "I got an email from Martin this morning."

Gene's eyes widened immediately. "What did he say?" He demanded.

"He's curious, of course, about our first case. To satisfy him, I think we should send a draft of the case report. But we can't tell him yet about the exorcism. Not in detail."

"Mai creating the kekkai, you mean." Gene said, and his younger brother nodded. "I thought the same thing, actually. What else?"

Naru focused on the teacup in his hands. "They want me to come back to England."

"What?" Gene frowned. "I thought they were all for you taking some time off and even enrolling at Tokyo Uni—"

He shook his head, his brother's voice trailing off. "I'm not at Cambridge on regular tuition, you know. The committee that oversees merit-based scholarships doesn't see why they should let me postpone my degree when I'm so close to completion. Sounds like they've been harassing our parents, trying to figure out what the bloody hell I think I'm doing. And I don't think Professor Englebert will ever forgive me backing out of those lectures I promised to give for his class."

"No doubt you left him with a lot of dissatisfied female students in particular."

Naru ignored his comment. He frowned and rubbed at his forehead with his fingers. "Looking back, I'm surprised I allowed myself to be so optimistic. I should have foreseen this."

Gene rolled his eyes. "As opposed to the much more desirable pessimism." Seeing his brother's blank look, he crossed his arms over his chest. "Well... What about dropping out? Postponing your studies indefinitely?" He asked, frowning. "You've already got _one_ doctorate, I don't know why they're even asking you to complete these secondary courses..."

"I imagine Martin thought it would be advantageous to have a well-rounded education."

Gene bit his lip and looked at his hands. He knew that well enough. Martin had only allowed himself to postpone his education because Luella had pleaded on his behalf. "So what are you going to do?"

"I don't know," Naru admitted. "I guess I have to go back. We thought I would anyway, originally." He sighed. "The term ends in the end of June. It's only four more months.. I can return in July."

Gene's frown deepened. The oven in the kitchen dinged and he rose to his feet. "Just don't make any hasty decisions," he muttered. "And don't let yourself be swayed by how _logical_ or _rational_ an option may be."

...

True to his word, Lin arrived at Mai's house at exactly five o'clock that morning, not a minute early and not a minute late. She had slept after Gene had left and had only awoken five minutes prior, just enough time to throw on a sweater, splash some water on her face and brush her teeth.

Mai sat down across from Lin on the floor, mimicking his cross-legged pose. "As I said before, we'll begin this morning with breathing exercises and beginning meditation," Lin said, his voice calm and even. "It may take you some time to find the posture you're most comfortable in; don't be afraid to shift positions as we go along but try not to fidget unnecessarily as it will only increase your distraction. The purpose of the breathing exercises is to calm your body and clear your mind. You cannot meditate with a clouded mind."

"Close your eyes and inhale, exhale. Inhale...and exhale." Lin said, his voice slowing as he continued, and Mai felt herself relaxing as she breathed in time with his words. They did this for some time; Lin speaking quietly. "Now we'll inhale deeply, slowly. First to the count of four.. One, two, three, four..." This continued for several repetitions before Lin nodded in satisfaction. "Next we'll add pause in-between our inhalations and exhalations, holding our breath for four counts. One two three four..."

"Now to the count of eight. Inhale, hold for the count of eight, and exhale in eight counts. One two three..." Mai inhaled, "...six seven eight. Now hold, one two three..." Mai held her breath as he counted slowly, "...six seven eight, and exhale. Slowly. One, two three..."

"Why eight?" Mai asked, her eyes still closed, when they had completed this exercise several times. "It reminds me of _shikku hakku_. You know?"

"No," Lin said, and she could imagine his eyebrow arching in either curiosity or amusement, or perhaps a little of both. "I'm not familiar with the saying. What is it?"

"The four sufferings and eight sufferings. It's traditionally a Buddhist phrase, but now it just means that something is... really difficult. That you have to really struggle to do something," she said, continuing her slow, even breathing. "I imagine you know what the eight sufferings are."

"I'm not too familiar with Buddhism. Tell me anyway," Lin encouraged.

"The four are the sufferings of birth, aging, sickness, and death," she continued, smiling serenely with her eyes still closed, "and the second four added to make eight are the sufferings of parting from those you love, having to spend time with those you hate, being unable to get what you want, and pain in the mind and body." She breathed in and exhaled slowly. "But kids nowadays just use it when something's really tough. 'I didn't understand my homework, it was so _shikku hakku!'_ And so on." She smiled wryly. "Not that difficult homework can really relate to the eight sufferings, but you know."

She could sense that Lin was smiling his thin but gentle smile. "I don't imagine my own teacher was thinking of the eight Buddhist sufferings when she taught me to do it this way."

"Eight's lucky in Chinese too, huh?" Mai exhaled. Her eyebrows suddenly knitted together as she thought, even though she kept her eyes closed. "How old are you anyway, Lin-san?"

Lin chuckled. "You never asked Naru?"

"I probably did, but I don't think he ever told me." She frowned slightly and shifted her position slightly. "I think he said... that you came to England when he and Gene were eight or nine, maybe. Not long after Martin and Luella adopted them. Were you in college?"

"No, shortly after, but like Naru and Gene, I had rather unconventional schooling."

"Do you want me to guess?"

He smiled slightly. "I'm twenty-nine, Mai. I hope that isn't too surprising."

"No, that seems about right." She giggled, her face relaxed and eyes still closed. "At least now, knowing you. Probably the first time we met, I wouldn't have been able to guess. I knew you were older than Bou-san, but you know, when you're a kid even adults in their twenties seem so _old_. So you were... what, twenty, twenty-one when you met Naru?" He nodded. "You must have been training to be an onmyouji for a long time."

He nodded again. "Since I was a child."

"Your family decided for you?"

He paused. "You could say that."

"When did you... how should I say.. _acquire_, for lack of a better word,your shiki?"

"Little by little," Lin said softly. "But now is not the time or place to discuss that. Your breathing's returning to normal, Mai."

"Sorry," she flushed slightly and opened her eyes. "I probably wasn't supposed to talk, was I?"

Lin did not answer her immediately. "I was waiting for you to start a conversation, actually." He smiled slightly. "I had a feeling it would be the most effective way for you to relax. That talking would actually be a way for you to clear your thoughts. Naru thought the same thing. Silence isn't always better," he informed her. "It may be for Naru, and it may be for me, but we are all different individuals." He shook his head. "It worked when you were telling me about the Buddhist saying, but as soon as you followed your curiosity about me you began to lose your focus. Close your eyes again, Mai. I will lead our breathing, but if you want to talk, go ahead. Don't force anything, and for today, try to refrain from asking questions unless it specifically relates to what we're doing. Always feel free to ask questions about what we're doing as they come to you, as it's all too easy to forget."

"Yessir," Mai giggled, eyes closed, and followed the man's instructions for her breathing. It was a long time before she felt the desire to speak again. "You can see my aura right now, can't you?" She asked quietly, inhaling deeply.

If Lin was surprised by her question, he did not show it. "Yes," he said simply. "In times of meditation I am able to see, but only just."

"So, you're meditating while you teach me to meditate?"

"Something like that, yes."

"I guess that makes sense," she said quietly to herself. "Does it look like Gene's?"

Lin shook his head. "Nothing like it," he responded truthfully. "I would not have guessed that you and Gene had compatible auras unless you were both here in front of me. Even then, it is difficult to judge. Perhaps while we say "spiritual aura", it would be better to think of it as a "spiritual fingerprint". An "aura" would indicate a hazy light, and it is true that some may perceive it as such, but is much more intricate and complex than the word implies. With practice, you will be able to see auras as well."

"Aahil can see them? Naru said something about that."

"Yes. Aahil is very good at seeing auras."

"I see," Mai said quietly, and continued her breathing. "What about your other shiki?"

"To varying degrees. No more questions about my shiki, Mai, not right now. It will only pique your curiosity."

"Okay," she agreed, exhaling deeply.

"I'm going to stop speaking," he told her quietly. "Try to maintain the rhythm we've established; let it settle as feels natural."

Mai nodded, breathing deeply. A calm smile graced her lips. "I feel great. I should do this all the time. I feel like my mind is floating right above my head. Like if I opened my eyes I would see my body. It reminds me of..." her voice trailed off.

Seeing that she was onto something, Lin encouraged her. "Follow the thought and let it come to you."

"He's crying," she suddenly whispered, her face twisting in anguish. "He's crying because of me. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so careless." Tears formed in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. "Gene tried to warn me. If I'd been faster, I could have told them... I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she whispered.

Lin looked alarmed. "Open your eyes, Mai. Mai," he said louder, but she didn't seem to hear him. "I'm sorry, so sorry," she repeated, mumbling.

Lin rose to his feet and placed his hand on her shoulder. She opened her eyes immediately, exhaling shakily. "Sorry," she smiled apologetically. "I guess I nodded off or something."

"What did you see?" He asked her seriously.

Mai frowned as she thought, clenching her jaw to fight back a yawn. All of a sudden she was very sleepy. "I don't remember. Weren't you just telling me to keep breathing?"

Lin pursed his lips. "I think you just had a vision." He shook his head. "It's not uncommon, in meditation, but it certainly happened much quicker than I would have guessed. I wasn't anticipating this to happen today."

"What did I say?" Mai suddenly asked, reaching to her face, surprised to find her cheeks wet. "Did I—?"

"I think you were remembering the day of the accident that brought us here," Lin said. "But don't dwell on it, Mai. Before we finish, let's do several calming exercises. I'll lead you through them, and I want you to listen to my voice."

"You mean—that's all?" She looked confused, and the man nodded, lifting his hand and to glance at his watch.

"That'll be enough for today. Naru requested that I ask you to come back to the apartment, for breakfast, before you went to school."

...

It was a windy day and Lin's hair blew in front of his face as he waited patiently outside, mulling over what had happened as Mai changed into her school uniform. "You enjoyed the breathing exercises, didn't you?" He asked her when she appeared, sliding the door shut and locking it behind her.

"I did," Mai said shyly, tucking her hair behind her ears as the wind blew it into her eyes and the strands stuck in the corners of her mouth. "I don't know if I was expecting to. Well—I guess I didn't know what to expect. But I felt really calm." She looked up at him expectantly. "So this is the same qigong training you did with Naru?"

The tall man hesitated, shaking his head slowly. "Not exactly. While today was rather basic, I don't anticipate your needs will be anything like Naru's, and Naru was considerably younger than you are today—physically and mentally. I intend to have an open dialogue with you to constantly reevaluate and adjust your training regimen as we go along," he said, hands in his pockets as they walked down the street. "I'd like you to practice calming your breathing as we did today. It is fairly straightforward, with practice you'll find your rhythm and it will come naturally."

Mai nodded. "I can do that." She pressed her lips together nervously. "Will I have visions again...?"

"I can't answer that question for you." He frowned slightly. "In addition to doing breathing exercises on your own, I'd like you to start exercising more." Mai looked surprised and Lin cleared his throat. "Please don't take this the wrong way, because you are in very good shape for an average fifteen-year old student, but I think it would be a good idea to start training your body in addition to your mind. Learning qigong will improve your strength and flexibility of your mind and body, and the stronger foundation you have to build upon, the better. Nothing too rigorous—but perhaps we'll go on runs together several times a week as part of your training, if that suits you."

Mai giggled. "Do I have to go on a diet too?"

"No." Lin smiled slightly. "From what you've been feeding us, if you continue eating like that you'll be fine. A healthy, varied diet. And as you grow—physically, mentally—no doubt you'll need to eat more." He cocked a small grin. "Please don't conform to society's notion of a young lady's appetite and hold yourself back."

At the mention of food, Mai's stomach began to protest its overnight fast. She giggled. "I really couldn't even if I wanted to, Lin-san."

...

Naru was waiting when Mai and Lin arrived at the apartment, breakfast and papers spread out across the table. He hadn't made much, but there were roasted potatoes, curried Indian dal and toast, and the aromas made Mai all but ravenous. Lin greeted the boy but did not stay in the main room, walking down the hallway and disappearing into his room.

"How did it go?" Naru asked quietly, his eyes searching Mai's face.

"Good, I think," she said, sitting down next to him and taking a piece of toast from the plate before reaching for the potatos and dal, piling them on top of the bread. She couldn't help but smile at the familiarity of the meal. Lentils or dal on toast instead of rice was Naru's favorite breakfast; Luella would make it for her son on weekends or when he was on a case and commuting from home. Like any of the Indian cuisine Luella made, it was always delicious, and from the smell in the apartment Mai had a feeling Naru had picked up the recipe from his mother.

He poured her a cup of tea and set it in front of her, a smile lightening her features as he did so. "Thank you. Thanks for breakfast. Smells delicious."

He didn't acknowledge her compliment. "Lin said he'd start you this morning with breathing exercises?" He inquired.

"Yeah," Mai said, "that's basically all we did. And I had a vision," she said nonchalantly, picking up a fork.

Naru raised his eyebrow. "A vision?"

"Mmhmm, but I don't remember it. Lin said that's how it appeared, though. Like I was just reliving a memory." Seeing the look on his face she smiled, trying to lighten the mood. She certainly was not going to tell him it made her cry, even if she still couldn't remember any of it. "I really don't remember. Lin said it's not unusual to have visions during meditation." He frowned slightly even as he grudgingly agreed, watching as she blew on the steaming potatoes before taking a bite. "Mm, delish," she said, a contented smile crossing her lips.

As much as he wanted to watch her enjoy the breakfast he'd prepared for her—there was something very satisfying about sitting together for a meal, enjoying her company and knowing she felt the same—Naru had other things on his mind. He allowed her to eat in silence for some time before speaking. "Gene said you had a nightmare."

Mai winced slightly, setting down her teacup. She had thought she wouldn't have to talk about the bad dream again; she'd rather forget about it entirely. "Yeah," she said quietly. "Where is he, anyway?"

"Still sleeping, perhaps, or trying to." He frowned. Mai knew he was upset it had been his brother she had spoken to, in the darkness of the early morning hours, but he wouldn't say so, and she wondered if apologizing to him would make him feel better or worse.

"Sorry," she said quietly, ambiguously. "Did he tell you about it?" He shook his head and waited for her to continue. Mai sighed. "It was just... really unsettling." She gazed at her teacup, watching the steam curl and waft up from the amber liquid into nothingness. The peace she'd felt during her morning meditation session with Lin was already completely replaced by fear and anxiety. "I was looking for you," she said quietly. "I couldn't understand why you weren't there. For so many reasons." She couldn't bring herself to tell him she'd been pregnant during the dream; she couldn't bear it if he knew she'd been expecting another man's child. "I was just so confused. And really afraid to be alone."

Naru didn't say anything but he kept his eyes steadfast on hers, watching the fluctuations of her expression.

She shook her head quickly, as if clearing her thoughts. "Just... let me forget about it, Naru." She stretched her arms and forced a grin onto her face. "I don't want to dwell on it, okay? It was just a bad dream."

"You'll tell me if you have dreams that bother you, won't you?" He asked softly. Meeting his gaze, Mai could see the pleading look in his deep blue eyes.

Naru sighed slightly and idly traced his finger along the rim of the saucer in front of him. "Before, you could always tell when you'd had a vision in the form of a dream," he began. "It would make sense to think you could differentiate when your dreams came from psychic energy rather than the normal permutations of excess thoughts and random brain signals." He shook his head slightly. "But if you're borrowing energy, your subconscious may not pick up on that, at least not right away. You said yourself it felt different when you and Gene met us in the hotel lobby. Your intuition was there but the energy it had tapped into was not your own. Predicting that Kaori would come to the office, that Gene had seen a vision that he hadn't told us about—"

"Thinking that someone would come to the office was just optimism, I'm sure," Mai muttered. "And I just had a feeling Gene was hiding something—"

"Just a feeling," he repeated sternly, keeping his exasperation in check. "You insist that your instincts are so trivial, Mai, but we owe many of our successful cases to your instincts—"

"Cases that have never happened," she protested.

He looked at her sharply. "Don't get me started."

"Sorry." Mai muttered, turning back to her breakfast. "I don't mean to be so confrontational."

A small smirk grew on his lips. "I like it when you're confrontational, Mai. You know that's the one of the reasons I fell in love with you."

She couldn't help but smile. "Not my adorably good looks?" She teased.

"Could be that too." He gazed at her openly. "It's hard to imagine the beautiful girl in front of me could be any more stunning, but you are absolutely breathtaking as an adult." She was flabbergasted at the compliment, but seeing the way he looked at her made her blush. There was something in his eyes that made her wish they were the only occupants in the apartment and she didn't have to go to school in half an hour; something about the way his gaze followed her that she couldn't help herself from imagining his hands on her bare skin, tracing over the sides of her ribs, long fingers trailing over her stomach. She knew he wouldn't mind if they abandoned conversation and if she were to kiss him. She was about to follow that thought—_who cares if Gene and Lin are here, anyway_—when Naru turned his head away and she frowned, realizing she'd missed her opportunity to distract him.

"I'm sure there have been other examples of you using your instincts in the past few weeks." He exhaled loudly through his nostrils. "Perhaps countless instances. If only I knew where to look." His voice trailed off and he lifted his teacup, but did not drink. "It could be the most trivial, most innocuous coincidences." He lifted his shoulders slightly. "Things that I'm sure you would claim don't even matter, but I can't help but be curious."

Mai said nothing as she sipped her tea, trying to think of anything that had happened in the last few weeks since she'd met Gene that had been out of the ordinary—but really _everything_ had been out of the ordinary, and she couldn't remember any gut feelings she'd had with clarity. "I could be using the psychic energy I've absorbed for anything, then, huh, and never be the wiser." She sighed and lowered her tea, reaching for a second piece of toast.

Naru waved his hand slightly. "I hope that qigong training with Lin will help you pick up on when you're using that borrowed energy, but it could take a lot of time to have that much control over your abilities. Until then—"

Mai jumped when her mobile vibrated in her pocket and she pulled out the phone, smiling as she read the screen. "Text message from Kaori. I guess her mom came back early because she was worried about her. I think things are on the mend between them." She frowned and nibbled on her lip. "I never texted her about Yasuhara."

Naru watched as she keyed in a reply to the girl. "So Yasuhara is interested in Koari," he mused.

"It makes me nervous," Mai admitted quietly. "I don't know why." She sighed, setting down the phone. "Well—I do know why. It's like, if Yasuhara is sincerely interested in Kaori, how will he have time to work part-time for SPR? And if he's _not_ really interested in her, is it fair to let him go after her when all she has in front of her is heartbreak? Not that I have any right to think that."

"Yasuhara might have met Kaori last time, or he might not have," Naru agreed. A smile twitched at his lips. "I don't think you have to worry about him not coming back to SPR, however. You underestimate him." Before she could speak he held up his hand, indicating that he wasn't finished yet and asking for her patience. "As far as being concerned for Kaori's feelings, that's very kind of you, Mai—I can't pretend to feel the same way—but I do think that Yasuhara will let her down gently, if—_if_—that's what will happen."

"You're probably right," Mai agreed reluctantly, frowning and twirling her hair around her finger. "Well... you're always right," she said softly. Her eyes unfocused as she gazed across the room toward the window. It was a grey, cloudy morning, but if the forecast from the night prior was to be believed it would clear up around midday.

"Not always," Naru murmured. "Now's a good a time as any to say I might have to go back to England after all."

She turned her head back toward him. "You heard from Martin and Luella?"

He nodded. "This morning."

Mai sighed. "I guess I can't say I'm really surprised. With everything you have to do at university.. and no doubt Luella's lonely with both of you gone." He didn't contradict her because he knew she was right. She exhaled again, blowing her hair away from her eyes. "I guess anything we do to change the future has to happen soon, then. Or wait until you come back. When would that be?"

"July at the earliest."

"I see." Mai tried to keep the disappointment from showing on her face, but he could see it clearly. She bit her lip as she reached behind her, picking up her schoolbag and removing a notebook. "I meant to think about it more, but I guess.. I guess I got distracted," she admitted, paging past geometry notes to a page in the middle of the notebook, covered in her tidy Japanese handwriting. "That day at the office, before Kaori-san came, I was thinking about it a little. I thought if I was wrong and no clients came to the office, we could talk about it that afternoon.." her voice trailed off. Naru simply nodded at her silently, motioning for her to go on.

"What we can do. What we _should _do," Mai continued. "How we could intervene. I know it would be best to be as subtle as possible. But I just can't remember," she squeezed her eyes tightly closed, lips tightening and curving downwards in displeasure and irritation. "I can't remember well enough what happened, Naru. To know what to do to prevent anything from happening again."

Naru paused, considering this, and glanced down at her notebook laying open in her lap, where she had written out several lists. When they had first worked together he hadn't been able to read her writing, having only the basic knowledge of the Japanese phonetic alphabets and a handful of elementary kanji, but over the years he'd gotten better at reading Japanese. Even after living in Britain for years and becoming nearly fluent in English, Mai had continued to write all of her notes in Japanese, which, in turn gave Naru a lot of opportunities to practice reading it. He'd become completely proficient, only occasionally asking Mai about certain obscure kanji.

"I remember, Mai." He finally said, reaching for his teacup. "We'll have discuss a plan of action, but you may be right. We should act now—if there is anything to do, we should do it before I leave." He sipped his tea and returned the cup to the surface of the table. "Some of the cases it would do to simply allow the clients to approach us again and solve the case. For instance, your principal. I'm not even sure if there's anything we could do without his invitation."

"And Ayami-chan," Mai said, remembering the girl with the possessed doll.

"Yes." Naru agreed. "Others... we should not wait to be contacted by the client. Truth to be told, I've already considered what Gene and I will do about Urado's mansion."

"You and Gene?" Mai repeated, frowning at him. "What do you mean? Surely not just the two of you—"

"I don't want you to go back there," Naru said firmly. "Consider it selfish if you must." He paused, fingering the teacup. "Gene and I will also take care of the Yoshimi case." A wry smirk formed on his lips, his eyebrows lowering darkly. "I must admit, I am rather looking forward to it."

Mai couldn't think about the Yoshimi case without a shiver of dread running down her spine. Though completely different from the bloodcurdling case at Urado's mansion, that case was just terrifying. "What about the case with Kasai Chiaki-san and Ubusuna-sensei?" She frowned. "And the case at Yasuhara's school?"

"We'll have to tread lightly," Naru said slowly. "But I think we should concern ourselves with Urado and the Yoshimi family first. After all, if we can prevent those cases from occurring we can save several lives. If Gene and I destroy the _ebisu_, if we can convince the Prime Minister to burn down the mansion, then I can return to England. You and Gene will simply have to take care of the rest." He met her eyes seriously, slowly reaching toward her to place his hand gently on her cheek.

"Promise me you'll be careful," he murmured.

She nodded briefly, sighing and closing her eyes as she turned her face into his touch. His hand was cool and his fingers smooth, but she'd memorized his hands and knew if she touched his palm there would be the slightest indentation from a childhood scar, and the side of the last knuckle on his middle finger would be calloused from his pencil. "Oh, Naru," she breathed, and he brought his face close to hers to kiss her cheek, and then her mouth. She leaned toward him, resting her weight on her arm against the table as he kissed her, fingers idly brushing her hair behind her ear and his other hand reaching toward her waist.

His lips had moved to the line of her jaw and Mai opened her eyes when the clock on the wall chimed softly with the new hour. "Crap," she muttered. "I'm going to be late." She sighed and closed her eyes again, taking his hand in her own and nuzzling the back of his hand with her cheek. "Why do I have to go to school again?"

"Don't tempt me," Naru murmured, smirking at her and lips widening in satisfaction as she exhaled, leaning once more into his touch, and his hand slipped beneath her shirt at the waist, fingers sliding across the skin of her lower back.

The teenagers sprang apart when they heard a door down the hallway opening, though they both knew whoever had entered the hall couldn't see them. Lin appeared moments later, his tie hanging loose around his neck as he crossed into the kitchen to make himself some tea.

"You won't be late, Mai?" He asked, glancing at the clock, but Mai was already running to the door, jacket in one hand and schoolbag in the other as she slipped on her shoes and disappeared.

...

It was a welcome quiet day at the office. After unloading the van of the case equipment, the three individually wrote up their case notes in the morning and then compared them before lunch to make sure nothing had been left out. As Gene had been with Mai on the roof he had a clearer idea of what had happened there, but Naru and Lin had differing accounts to what they had seen when Yoshimasa's spirit charged Naru from the roof. Unfortunately, the camera they had brought to the school and set up near the van hadn't caught anything of the exorcism, only that when the kekkai surrounded Naru the feed became lined with static and wavered slightly before returning to normal.

"I'll prepare the final report," Lin offered.

Naru nodded curtly. "Thank you. I'll send a draft to Martin and Madoka."

"How long do you think you can keep Mai's abilities a secret from BSPR? Martin will be suspicious," Lin cautioned.

"Madoka even more so, if she catches even a hint of secrecy," Gene muttered. "We'll have to be really careful."

Naru exhaled, knowing the truth would come out eventually. "Hopefully long enough. If we can take care of Urado and the Yoshimi case in the next week, I can return to England and my being there will also help prevent them from finding out." He nodded at the two of them. "Lin, that will give you more time to train with Mai and learn about her capabilities. The last thing I want is for Martin to hear about her potential and try to drag her back to England to test her."

"We really can't let that happen," Gene suddenly mumbled, averting his gaze and pressing his hand to his forehead. "Something about that.. makes me really nervous."

"Will Mai come with us?" Lin asked quietly. "Or do we go when she's still in school this week?"

"I told her I don't want her to go back to Suwa," Naru said, though as he spoke he felt a twinge of guilt for excluding her from their plans. "And there's no reason for her to come with us to the Yoshimi inn." He glanced at his brother. "I'd like to plan an itinerary and have you think about it, Gene."

Gene nodded, puffing out his cheeks slightly as he exhaled. "Yeah. Sure, okay. I'll put my feelers out."

"As far as the Yoshimi case, all we need to do is book a room at the inn and go down to the cave once we get there."

Lin nodded thoughtfully. "It shouldn't be difficult, certainly, to destroy the _ebisu _with the two of you. After all, Naru, you did it last time on your own."

Naru nodded. "We can stop in Suwa on the trip back." His lips tightened into a slight grimace. "Urado's mansion will be a little more difficult, I think. The situation is much more delicate."

"How are we going to convince them to burn it down?" Gene asked quietly.

His brother sighed. "That, I think, we'll have to think about. We'll come up with something."

"And what are we going to tell Martin and Luella?" Lin asked. "They'll want to know why you're leaving the office you just established, even if it's just for two days."

Naru tapped his fingers on the desk, thinking. "I don't think we should tell them," he finally said. "The expenses will be minimal and paid in cash, they won't be able to suspect anything. If they happen to find out and ask questions, we can always tell them Gene had a vision." He raised his eyebrow at his brother. "If you're comfortable lying."

"It wouldn't be lying," Gene countered. "Because I did." He smirked at his brother slightly. "I saw what happened last time, isn't that close enough?"

...

"Here's notes from Monday and Tuesday," Michiru said, passing several pages of copies to Mai. It was lunch break, the classroom was bustling with students chatting while they ate, meandering in and out of the room to visit friends in other classes in the hall. The two girls were sitting at their desks, their lunches in front of them. "You said you got a part-time job? One that gets you out of school?" Michiru shook her head, clicking her teeth in what seemed to Mai a very mature gesture. "What kind of job is it? You're probably not working down at the Family Mart or Hotto Motto, are you?"

"You'll laugh," Mai said nervously, wondering what she should tell her friends, though she wasn't one for lying and knew it would just be an abridged version of the truth. "Or think it's crazy. I got a job working for some ghost hunters. At a psychic research firm." Michiru didn't seem to understand and she scratched at her cheek, considering how to best explain it to her friend. "It's like... studying the science of the supernatural. Trying to prove that the paranormal is real. They use fancy equipment to investigate ghosts and spirits and other supernatural phenomena."

Michiru's eyes widened. "No way! Ghosts? You mean they're legit? Like, real ghosts and things?" She gaped at her friend. "How did you end up getting a job like that?"

"I broke a camera," Mai cringed dramatically, clasping her head with her hands. "It was an accident, but that thing costs _a hundred thousand yen_," she groaned. "But they said I could work to pay it off. So the first case I had to work for them was yesterday and the day before."

Michiru nodded, gazing at her friend sympathetically. "Lucky to get out of school, though," she grinned. "I'll always let you copy my notes, promise."

"Thanks, Michiru-chan," Mai laughed. "I really owe you one."

Her friend grinned. "Just buy me an ice cream when we go out, that's plenty of repayment for me." She giggled. "Plus, if I know you'll read my notes I'll end up writing neater, and then I can study better for the test anyway!" She waved Yuriko over when she saw their friend poke her head into the classroom. "Hey, Yuriko-chan. Where's Keiko?"

"She's on her way," Yuriko said, taking a seat at an empty desk next to the other girls.

"You're not going to believe this!" Michiru grinned, pleased to be the one spreading the news. "Mai got a part-time job working for a—what'd you say—_psychic _research company!"

Yuriko raised her eyebrows but didn't have a chance to speak when they were interrupted. "Excuse me," a voice said, "did you say psychic research?"

Mai didn't have to turn around to know the voice speaking would be Kuroda-san, but she turned to face her anyway. "Yeah," she said, trying to sound nonchalant. "I did."

Kuroda's eyes widened behind her large glasses and it was difficult to decipher the look that spread across her face. She was eager, at least, that much was obvious. "I'd love you to introduce me," she said hopefully. "Maybe they need additional workers? I'm psychic too, I'm sure I can be a big help."

"Oh, just leave her alone, Kuroda-san," Yuriko muttered.

Mai knew that none of her friends really liked Kuroda very much; the girl just always got on their nerves by always insisting she was psychic. But she knew she didn't mean harm, so she smiled politely. "I'll ask," she said shortly. "But don't get your hopes up."

"You shouldn't encourage her," Keiko said disapprovingly, when Michiru and Yuriko relayed what had happened after she arrived, setting out her own bento lunch on Mai's desk. "Everyone knows she's lying about being psychic. She always has been."

"It could be real, right?" Mai murmured, cocking her head to the side. "But yeah, she's probably exaggerating, even if she _is _a little psychic."

"She's always complaining that she gets headaches when we tell ghost stories," Yuriko complained. "I've never heard of anything like that. And if it bothers her so much, she should just leave. It's always after school anyway."

"Speaking of, we should tell ghost stories sometime," Michiru said hopefully.

"I can't, I have cram school," Keiko groaned. "We have that big math test on Monday, right?"

"Maybe next week?" Yuriko asked.

"Next week my grandparents are coming to stay with us, I won't be able to stay after school," Michiru said. "Well—" the bell rang, signaling that their lunch period was at an end. "We'll find a time." She grinned at Mai. "I'm sure we can expect _lots_ of scary stories from you from now on!"

...

The four met at Mai's apartment again for dinner, falling back into their previous routine. She'd made dinner again: _ochazuke_, and she giggled when she served the rice and green tea soup to the three, noting their looks of confusion. "None of you have had this before, then?" She laughed. "I love ochazuke; it's probably one of the only things I ever _really_ cooked when I was this age. Just throw some vegetables together on rice and cover it in green tea."

"I'm sure it's a little more complicated than _that_," Gene scoffed. "Smells too good for it just being _thrown together_."

"It's a quick meal," she confessed. "I fell asleep when I was trying to study for my upcoming math test. At least I'd put the rice on and had the dried mushrooms soaking."

"So if you make this again we'll know you're being lazy," Naru said dryly.

She laughed and swatted at his arm but said nothing in response, and the four began to eat.

"We've decided to go take care of those two cases," Gene told Mai as they ate. "We'll leave the day after tomorrow."

"Friday, then," Mai thought aloud, tapping her lip with the tip of her chopsticks. "When will you get back?"

"Most likely Sunday," Naru said, picking up his teacup and cradling it with both hands. "Possibly Monday. Depending on how it goes."

Mai bit her lip, wishing she could go with them but knowing she could not.

It was evident that all four were tired that evening. After cleaning up from dinner in relative silence—Mai was yawning steadily as she dried the dishes Gene washed, who cleaned the bowls and plates without paying much mind to what he was doing, Lin was catching Mai's yawns and hiding them behind his hand as he put away the extra food, and even Naru's eyes were heavy as he put away the dishes as Mai dried them.

"Aren't we an exciting bunch," Gene laughed, though his face was just as tired as the rest of them. "Come on, Lin," he said, stepping into his shoes at the doorway and taking his coat. "Let's go."

Alone again, Mai and Naru sat together at the warm kotatsu as Mai finished her math homework. She was reviewing the previous chapter when Naru settled on his side, his head resting on her leg.

"Don't let me fall asleep," he murmured, but his breathing was already steady and Mai knew if his eyes were closed, which they almost certainly were, it was only a matter of time before he succumbed to slumber. She smiled as she ran her fingers through his silky hair, absently massaging his scalp as she read, yawning herself sporadically.

It was only nine o'clock when Mai led him to her futon, and the two were asleep under the comforter within minutes.

...

Mai awoke in the night, at first confused and disoriented to feel a warm body by her side before sighing in contentment, remembering that they'd fallen asleep together that evening.

"What are you so pleased about?" His voice came out of the darkness. She could hear his teasing smile.

"You're awake?" She rolled over, eyes finding his in the dark room.

He draped his arm around her in response, curling himself around her back and pulling her body closer to his.

She sighed again and closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth of his body next to her own and the feelings of peace and comfort that came with it. It seemed like it'd been ages since they'd slept together, side-by-side. "I don't really feel sleepy at all," she murmured.

"It's not surprising," he said after some pause. "For most of our modern history as humans, we slept at dusk and awoke at dawn, with several hours in the middle of the night awake. For common people, at least, who labored all day long."

"It must have been exhausting, working all day like that. What did people _do_ before electricity?" Mai murmured.

He laughed quietly and kissed her neck, pressing his body into her own, evidence of just what he thought people would do in the middle hours of the night. She sighed and rolled onto her back, returning his kisses and twining her fingers in his hair, sucking in her breath when his hand slid under her shirt.

"Sorry, are my hands cold?" He teased, and she kissed him aggressively in response, pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it aside, and he drew in his own breath when her warm hands touched his bare stomach and chest.

"It seems like it's been a long time since we've been together," Mai breathed, her lips traveling beneath his jaw to stop at his ear. He shivered; she knew he'd always liked this.

"Then refresh my memory," he murmured, and she was only too happy to oblige him.

...

Later, when they had finished, the two lovers lay naked together under the comforter, arms wrapped around each other in the darkness.

"I am.. content," Naru started slowly, his hand trailing gently across her ribs to rest in the hollow beneath her breasts. "To pleasure each other like this. But I can't lie and say that I don't desire anything more."

She sighed and nodded, tracing her fingers across his smooth bicep. He was not one to initiate conversations like this and she had always been slightly uncomfortable discussing their physical relationship, but the longer they were together—in fact, especially since they'd returned to their teenaged bodies—the more she understood his feelings of desire he had for her. Thinking of it still caused an aching heat to grow deep in her core, that he should want her so.

"I would like to think that I have adequate self-control," he continued, and she could hear his self-deprecating smile. "Though I begin to forget myself when I touch you."

"I'm not any better," she mumbled. The odd occasions when they'd been together intimately, in the past few weeks, it was always Naru who seemed to keep his head and make sure they didn't do anything they would later regret.

"Given the nature of the.. situation, shall we say, it would be best if precautions were taken on both sides. Would you be willing to go to the doctor for birth control?" Naru asked quietly. He frowned slightly, exhaling and shifting to rest his arm beneath his head, his other hand still resting comfortably on the small of her back. "I don't imagine at fifteen you would be comfortable with such a request. You may have a better insight into this than I, but my impression is that you would find inappropriate judgment at the clinic, as appearances are of the utmost in this culture, and such activities at your age are frowned upon."

"Yeah," Mai agreed, blushing slightly. "Especially since I don't have a parent to vouch for me. That would make all the difference." She frowned as she thought. "If word got back to Ogasawara, she'd make my life hell. She already thinks I'm involved in... dubious activities."

"Perhaps after we meet Matsuzaki—"

"What? No!" Mai exclaimed quickly. "I don't want Ayako to know that we're doing it!"

Naru paused. "There is... another option. The route that I myself would take." His voice trailed off and Mai could only imagine him looking embarrassed. "Contraceptive magic. I asked Lin for his assistance last time. I don't know if you knew that."

The thought of going to Lin and admitting her intimate relations with her boyfriend made Mai blush to the tips of her ears. "He knows a spell? I guess I shouldn't be surprised. He knows everything, and that would be..." she cleared her throat slightly. "Very practical."

"It's entirely up to you, and if you feel comfortable asking Lin to do this. I don't want you to feel pressured in any way."

"How can I _not _feel pressured, Naru?" she exclaimed. "Obviously, if you want to have sex, then I want to make you happy—"

"Don't even start," he warned. "It's your body, Mai; while compromises are important in any relationship, this isn't something you should have to. If you're not comfortable having sex or if you don't want to—"

"Of course I want to," Mai blurted, averting her gaze. "It's just... a little weird, I guess." She sighed and rested her hand over her eyes. "Sometimes I hate being fifteen." She laughed weakly. "I'm thirty-two, you're thirty-three. We shouldn't have to worry about this."

"No," he agreed. "Perhaps we shouldn't. But this is where we are. And I don't think you want to take any chances."

"What about you, Naru?" She asked quietly. He frowned, not understanding, and she continued. "I mean... yeah, obviously, now would not be a good time." She laughed weakly. "But... someday, maybe... do you want to have a child together?"

"I would," he said simply. "I hadn't thought much of it before," he admitted. "Not concretely. That, to me, was a step that we simply weren't at yet. There were things that would need to happen before we could think seriously about having children." He exhaled and shook his head. "Try not to think too much about that, Mai. I don't want you to get your hopes up for something that is many years away in the future."

"I know," she mumbled. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," he chastised. They lay in silence for some time before he spoke again. "Gene told me he had a vision of our child."

"He told me that too," Mai admitted. "Last night. When I had that nightmare... he wanted to reassure me that I didn't have to be afraid for the future." She yawned slightly, covering her mouth with her hand. "Patience, I guess." She grinned suddenly. "I'm getting ahead of myself.. maybe I'm a little confused, too. With what I want. I may want to have a baby someday, but I'm also so excited for _this _future, ahead of a fifteen year-old me. I'm really looking forward to my time with SPR, however long it may be." As she spoke, Naru began to wonder what kind of supernatural abilities a child of his and Mai might have. "I mean, Martin and Luella might want Gene to come back to England at some point, too," she reasoned quickly.

He nodded slowly in agreement. "I'm not certain how long Martin and Luella will allow us to keep the office open, but I don't imagine it will last indefinitely. Are you content with the idea of coming to England again, after you graduate high school?"

"Yes," she said simply. "I'll have to think about going back to university. Right now it seems impossible, but maybe in two years it'll feel logical again. To follow that path." She sighed and nestled her face between his shoulder and her pillow. "I miss laying here together, like this," she murmured, her breathing growing slow and steady as she relaxed.

They lay together in silence for a long time. Mai's eyes had closed and she was close to drifting off to sleep again, though Naru was still alert, gazing at her ceiling and tracing his fingers against her skin. He finally shifted, sliding out from beneath her and out from the comforter. He rose and dressed, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "I'm going back to my apartment," he said softly. "Sleep well, Mai. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good night, Naru," she murmured sleepily. "You too."

...

Mai had barely dragged herself from her futon when Lin arrived for her training the following morning. "Sorry," she mumbled, yawning into her hand.

Lin shook his head but didn't say anything but seated himself again on the tatami, indicating for her to take her time and waiting for Mai to make herself comfortable.

"What should I do when you're gone?" Mai asked, clenching her jaw to hide another yawn.

"I'll give you instructions on exercises you can do by yourself." Lin assured her quietly. "And I imagine this morning's session will be similar enough to yesterday's that you'll feel confident to proceed on your own."

The breathing exercises that morning proceeded much as they had the previous morning, though as Mai relaxed and her breathing deepened, and despite Lin's spoken instruction, she slowly fell asleep.

After roughly ten minutes, Lin stopped in his instructions, gazing at the sleeping girl with an amused look in his eyes. She was still sitting perfectly upright and balanced, and though the casual observer may think she was still in meditation, it was clear to Lin that she was simply fast asleep. Shrugging slightly to himself, the man rose quietly and went to her kitchen to make himself a cup of tea.

...

Mai awoke to the inviting aroma of roasted _houjicha _tea, opening her eyes slowly to see Lin sitting in front of her and two steaming cups. "Awake now?"

"S-sorry," she stammered, but Lin shook his head.

"Do you feel better?"

"Much," she admitted.

"By getting you up early, I probably simply woke you up in the wrong part of your sleep cycle," he said, passing her the cup which she gratefully accepted. "It would have been cruel and counter-productive to keep you awake. It may take a few days for your body to adjust to the earlier schedule." Seeing her dubious look he shrugged slightly. "Your body is only fifteen, Mai, and it may not seem like I'm asking a lot of you, but teenagers simply need more sleep than adults."

She sipped the tea and sighed, relaxing. "Are you really only twenty-nine, Lin-san?" She asked, her eyes bright and teasing. "Even with your extra added years, sometimes I think you're a wise old man."

He chuckled quietly. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"Will you tell me more about spiritual auras? Or spiritual fingerprints, however you want to call it?" Mai paused, breathing in the scent of the hot tea. "I feel like I still don't understand. I mean, is it just something we're born with?"

"We certainly don't know everything about auras, but I can tell you what I know, what I've been taught and what I believe." Lin started, nodding thoughtfully. "A combination of nature and nurture would probably be the best way to describe it," he said. "And I imagine the amount of internal or external influence varies from person to person." He tipped his head, anticipating her question. "For example, some elements of one's spiritual fingerprint seems to be hereditary. It is not uncommon for a family line to carry certain supernatural abilities, passing such traits through blood. But it is also just as common for a person to develop such preternatural powers with absolutely no family background to indicate such."

"Hmmm," Mai mused, wondering which side of the spectrum she landed on. Neither of her parents had had any ESP abilities—at least, not to her knowledge—and she had never met any of her grandparents. "Your family are all onmyouji?"

He shook his head. "Not all, but most. The talent seems to manifest itself only in the first-born of the children." A smile twitched at the corners of his lips. "If Naru was more interested in molecular biology, I'm sure he'd be fascinated to study the DNA to find the recessive gene which carries the onmyou talent." He held up his hands slightly. "Not to imply it even exists. Probably someone has more defined theories on that subject."

"And everyone has an aura, right—not just someone with special abilities."

"Correct. And the variations within that are undoubtedly countless."

"And our auras interact with each other—sometimes? Like Naru and Gene."

"Yes, but not only with other humans. It is rather common for our auras to resonate with nature."

"So, the way Matsuzaki-san could call on the tree spirits..."

He nodded. "Exactly, for the same reason you are receptive to Gene's psychic energy. The "edges" of her aura, as Naru put it yesterday, align in a way with the trees that allow her to communicate with their spirits. Just as your and Gene's auras are compatible, there are people whose auras may allow them to communicate with animals to varying degrees, pick up information with their fingertips from the soil of the earth, and read nature in such a way that they can predict the success of a harvest or the coming weather." He lifted his shoulders. "There are countless possibilities. It is only when a person's abilities are considered so fantastic that they even register as an ability at all."

Mai nodded thoughtfully. "Yesterday you said that spiritual auras are more complex than just a fuzzy glow," she asked. "So what do you see?"

"It's not easy to describe," he admitted. "And not without metaphors and analogies to clarify." She watched him, waiting, and he continued, holding up his hands to illustrate. "Think of a simple model of an atom. If you can imagine that the essence of your being is the nucleus, then your spiritual aura is comprised of the electrons surrounding it."

"The electron cloud," Mai said.

"Yes," Lin agreed. "Exactly. Which is why the most basic illustration of an aura as a hazy projection that surrounds a person has stuck and why the word "aura" is the most common terminology. The particles of spiritual and psychic energy, in a sense, are the electrons that orbit the core. I prefer "fingerprint" because it implies a uniqueness to each person, and like the individual lines on the tips of your fingers, each particle leaves a trail as it circumnavigates your essence."

"Which is what you see?"

"Yes. When I sense auras, I can see the movement of the individual particle and the trail it leaves, so to say."

"Like jet trails above the city?"

"Right. And just as all condensation trails will fade in the atmosphere after a certain amount of time, I cannot sense the entire history of the particle. Some fade immediately. Some show their history for a long time."

"I see." Mai nodded slowly, pressing her lips together. "You said that Aahil can see auras better than you. What does that mean?"

Lin thought for some time before answering her. "In Aahil's eyes, not only do the trails of the spiritual energy not fade but he can see their entire course. As I understand it, most of our spiritual energy is held within particles that will eventually repeat their exact orbit. You can imagine what Aahil sees is like a drawing of the solar system with every orbit of every planet, asteroid and comet mapped out in tidy lines, except there are a nearly infinite number of objects in orbit."

Mai frowned. "That sounds... really confusing," she admitted. "Can all your shiki see auras like that?"

He shook his head. "Seeing auras is a specialty of his. He was quite a powerful spiritualist when he was alive."

Mai looked up, interested, and Lin paused, looking at his watch. "We'll have to continue later. It's getting late." Mai's face fell as he picked up their empty cups and rose, taking them to the kitchen. "I should let you get ready for school," he said, returning to the room with a sheet of paper in his hand, which he passed toward her. As she took it she could see he had written several clear instructions for the following days.

"A simple outline of the breathing exercises we've started. Take half an hour each morning to go through them. We'll continue where we left off on Tuesday."

"What's this?" Mai asked, turning the paper over to see a small map drawn.

"That," Lin said, drawing his finger along the lined route, "this weekend, I'd like you to take a jog. Both days, if you have the time. Along this route."

"All the way to the canal?" Mai sighed in disbelief. "I've never even walked over there." She looked at him suspiciously. "I bet you run this every morning. How else do you know the streets of this area so well already?"

"Not every morning," Lin said with a wry smile. He cleared his throat. "I'd also like to ask Aahil to stay near you, while we're gone," he started. "If that's all right with you."

"That's okay, but it's probably not necessary," she protested. "Wouldn't it be better to have him there with you?"

Lin shook his head. "I'm not sure if there's anything he can do for us on this trip. Due to the nature of the case I certainly can't ask him to assist us at the Yoshimi house and fire is the only thing which can purify Urado's mansion. Should anything happen when we're away, it would be better for him to be here. Even something as simple as accompanying you if you were to go out alone at night. He could also provide his assistance if you were to simply cut yourself while preparing dinner or—"

"Lin-san, I am not as clumsy or careless as you think I am," she interjected frowning.

"I know. Just for example. Please, Mai," Lin said patiently. "I'm sure it would set Naru at ease. He is uneasy to leave you alone."

Mai bit her lip and nodded, lowering her gaze in defeat. "I'll be fine," she finally muttered, "But you're right. Sorry." Slowly, a grin formed on her face, even though her eyes were somewhat sad. "It'll probably be nice to have some company. Can I ask him about auras?"

Lin smiled. "Ask him to describe what he sees. I think you'll find it interesting."

...

It was an uneventful day, both at school and at the office. Grateful that her friends were occupied with cram school or other club activities and she didn't have to make an excuse to leave early, Mai went to the office in Dogenzaka directly after school.

"Hello," she called as she entered the office, noting the empty reception area, frowning as she glanced at the empty pad by the phone. There were no notes on the blank page; evidently no one had even called that day.

Gene stuck his head out from the twins' office, grinning at her and waving her over. "John just got here. Come say hello."

Surprised, Mai hurried across the room, eyes widening as she saw that the four men had been sitting in the office, rather than on the sofas in the main room. Naru had never once invited any of the Irregulars into his office to chat—she wondered if it was just a change in the times or if Gene's presence had something to do with it. Either way—whatever it was—she couldn't keep the smile from her lips.

She bowed politely, smile widening as she met John's gaze. "Nice to see you, John-san."

"Likewise, Mai-san," John smiled cheerfully, returning the bow with a dip of his head.

"You can have my seat," Gene offered Mai, pointing to the chair he had just vacated, as there were only four chairs in the room, but Mai shook her head.

"I'll make some tea," she said, returning to the main room and heading to the kitchenette.

"Here is our report from Murata Kaori's case," Naru said, passing a manila envelope toward the priest as Mai brought the tea in for everyone, setting the cups next to each man's hand on the nearest table or desk, depending on where they sat. He looked up as Mai placed his cup on his desk, his eyes lightening in unsaid gratitude and she gave him a small smile in response. While she knew she was much more than an office lady in their eyes, she was certainly good at this aspect of her job and she took pride in the fact.

"Thank you," John said to Naru, smiling and nodding his thanks to Mai for the tea as well. "I appreciate it."

Gene had brought in her chair from her desk in the reception room and as Mai took her seat she caught Naru's hesitation, knowing what that meant. "I hope you will keep the details of our report private," he said after some pause, clearing his throat. "This is the unabridged version. I'm afraid we left out several details the other day, pertaining to the exorcism. There were several things that transpired of which I was not comfortable to reveal to our client."

John frowned slightly, not understanding.

"When Yoshimasa's spirit came to the roof, it did so rather violently," Gene admitted, blowing the steam off his tea. "And Mai created a kekkai, unexpectedly."

"_Kekkai_?" John repeated, evidently not understanding the Japanese word. He frowned. "Sorry, can I ask you to explain in English?" Seeing Naru's blank look, he continued hurriedly, glancing between the twins and Mai. "Am I wrong to assume you speak English?"

"A psychic barrier," Gene said in English without pause. John looked surprised but nodded, understanding, and from there the conversation continued in their native language.

"I've never witnessed such a thing myself," he admitted. "Though I have heard of such a thing." Mai found it more difficult to understand the priest's Australian accent than his peculiar mix of Kansai dialect Japanese.

"They are rather uncommon," Lin said. "Perhaps even more so in the Western world."

"Mai-san made it?" The Australian asked, and Mai looked at her tea quickly, avoiding his eyes that had sought her out.

"Yes," Lin affirmed. He glanced at Naru, hoping the young man would elaborate his reasons for not telling Kaori the details as well as why he had chosen to reveal them to John. "But as Ichirou said, it was unexpected. I'll allow Kazuya to elaborate." At that Mai nearly laughed in relief, knowing that she would not have remembered to call Gene by his Japanese name, and was glad that Lin had subtly reminded her.

"As for the damage that occurred, I did not tell Ms. Murata because there was no harm done to our team and I thought realizing the extent of the damage would cause her uneasiness." Naru said, his eyes seeking out Mai's as well. "As for the psychic barrier..." his voice trailed off suddenly, but Gene picked up where he left off, only seconds before.

"Mai's preternatural abilities are a bit of a surprise, least of all to herself," the twin said. "We all thought it would be better not to draw unnecessary attention to the fact."

"Right," Mai finally said, letting out a sigh. "And it's not a pertinent detail to the case. The spirit was exorcised and that's all that matters."

"You didn't have to tell me," John suddenly said quietly. "But rest assured I won't reveal your secret anyone."

"Thank you," Mai said honestly. The last thing she needed was a version of the Kasai Panic on her hands, only instead of spoon-bending it was unexplainable psychic barriers.

"We're telling you because I'd like to request your assistance on cases, moving forward," Naru said smoothly. "An invitation you are welcome to decline, of course..."

"However, we feel your talents and insights are an invaluable addition to our team, should you be so inclined," Gene continued.

John smiled broadly. "It would be my pleasure." The priest suddenly laughed, shaking his head with a smile. "You're British," he said, and held up an apologetic hand. "Sorry, I don't know why that surprises me." He shrugged. "I guess I originally thought perhaps you were Americans."

...

The following morning found Mai at the train station, having seen the three off for their journey. Gene had insisted that they not bring any recording equipment of any kind, and Naru and Lin had reluctantly agreed. Therefore, they would take the train most of the way, only renting a car for several of the latter stages of their journey. She sighed to herself as she turned toward her school building, feeling somehow even more lonely than ever. She didn't especially want to go to school but didn't know what else to do with her time. Without Naru and Gene and even Lin nearby, she suddenly felt at a loss with what to do with herself. Lifting her face toward the budding trees, she sighed, inhaling the fresh spring air. It was a warm, breezy day, and she sighed as she gazed at the cherry trees lining the avenue, wondering when the buds would finally burst open. Spring was coming slowly, but surely. Following that train of thought she smiled to herself, wondering if they could have a _hanami_ flower-viewing party before Naru returned to England. It was something she'd always wanted to do with him. Because of their age, they wouldn't be able to drink sake together, of course, but they could still enjoy the blossoms with a picnic.

After school that evening, Mai had cleaned her apartment and cooked dinner when her mobile finally rang with news from the three.

"Not a bad time now, is it, Mai?"

"Naru!" She couldn't keep the excitement from her voice to be hearing his. "'Course not. I just finished eating. You guys must have arrived at the Yoshimi Inn?"

"Yes." He said simply. She could hear in his voice that he was tired from their travels, but otherwise sounded much the same as usual. "Dinner'll be served in a bit. We shouldn't talk long—"

There was suddenly a rustling sound through the speaker as the phone exchanged hands. "Mai," Gene said cheerfully in his sing-song voice. "I wanted to say hello before Noll could end the conversation." She could hear him grinning.

"_You could have asked_," his brother said peevishly in the background. "_Didn't need to steal the phone away like a child, Gene_."

"_You know I only do it because I know you find it so annoying_," Gene teased his brother. "_You don't need to sound so petulant about it_." The boy laughed. "We'll be going down to the cave tomorrow morning," he told Mai. "It's getting dark outside now, anyway; Lin seems to think it would be a hazard to try the stairs at this time of day. Besides—tonight, tomorrow morning, what's the difference?"

"Yeah," Mai agreed, biting her lip as she thought about the cave. "Do you remember the cave, Gene?" She finally asked quietly.

"Mhn, vaguely," Gene said casually. "I have a feeling it'll go much easier than last time around. It'll be like the door at Kaori's school." He laughed again. "Well, not quite. Not going to be _fixing _anything."

"No," Mai concurred slowly.

"Anyway, I'll pass you back to my brother. He looks rather displeased."

She could hear the sound as Naru took the phone back. "You'll be glad to hear the Yoshimi family is as polite as you may remember—at least the way they were initially—and quite cheerful," Naru began. He sounded even more weary than he had only a few minutes prior. "Akifumi-san and Youko-san in particular are quite the hosts. All of the family is obviously in genuinely good spirits."

"That's a relief," Mai breathed.

"It's as Gene says. It shouldn't be difficult to take care of."

"It still makes me nervous," she admitted quietly. "You'll be careful, right?"

"Of course," he said, his voice suddenly a little more gentle than it had been moments before. "I'll call you tomorrow," he promised. "During the day, probably. I don't think we'll have very good reception when we get to Suwa, so it'll have to be early."

"That's fine," Mai assured him. "I'll be at the office all day anyway."

"You don't have to keep the office open if you don't want to," Naru said seriously. "It's your weekend, Mai. You should feel free to do what you want; to do something fun with your free time."

Mai couldn't help but laugh. "Naru, you do realize how ridiculous you sound, _you _telling _me _to _have fun_."

"Well," he said stiffly. "We bought the answering machine for a reason."

"I'll do my homework at the office," she promised him, "so if anyone happens to call I'll be there, and if not, I'll just be caught up on my studies. If I feel like leaving, I will. Okay?"

He exhaled quietly but said nothing.

"I wish I could see your face and try to figure out what's going through your mind," Mai said quietly, exhaling a sigh as well.

"Nothing much," he said shortly.

"That's a lie and you know it, Naru."

He chuckled quietly. "Maybe," he admitted. "I should go, Mai. Lin just returned to the room; looks like dinner's about to be served."

"Enjoy," she said, remembering how good the food had been at the inn. "I still remember how delicious the miso soup was there! And the tofu was amazing."

She could hear him smile. "I wish you could be here with us."

"Me too," she sighed. "Me too."

...

Saturday morning, Mai dutifully began her weekend by taking the running route Lin had requested of her, though to say she ran the entire course would have been generous. In actuality, she jogged slightly more than half the route and walked the rest. Returning to her home an hour later, exhausted and panting, she went through the breathing exercises that he'd outlined. She was pleased that she was able to relax her breathing, even if seemed like she couldn't think about anything other than what Naru, Gene and Lin were up to, and she was constantly opening her eyes to look at her mobile, sitting still and silent on the table, anxiously awaiting the expected call.

She was in the shower when her mobile finally vibrated, turning in half-circles on the smooth surface of the table as it protested its neglect. She'd only missed the call by several minutes. Refreshed after her bath, she was rubbing her head with a towel as she entered the kitchen, turning on the hot water pot for breakfast tea. It was then that she saw the blinking light on the mobile, and she rushed to pick up the phone, face falling to see the notification for a missed call. He hadn't left a message but had sent a text instead. It was brief, as to be expected from Naru.

_Yoshimi went as planned. On our way to Suwa. Will call you tomorrow._

Mai slid the phone closed and sighed, wishing she could have been there to see it. Glumly, she ate breakfast, and left shortly thereafter to take the train to Dogenzaka to the SPR office.

...

The sky was a dark lavender hue when she locked up the office, leaving the quiet building for the bustling streets of Shibuya, and when her train emerged from underground it had turned into a deep, velvety indigo, the street corners lit up with white and warm yellow lights. Instead of going directly home, she took a detour through her new neighborhood, buying a snack of an onigiri rice ball before walking to the canal she'd run to on an indirect route earlier in the day.

She wasn't surprised when Aahil appeared from the shadows, as she'd had a feeling he would show up sooner or later in the night. "Hello," the impeccably-dressed shiki said with a smile. As before, he wore dark clothing, a trim black jacket over a dark purple collared shirt and narrow blue jeans. In the evening light, Mai knew that any passersby would see his outline, if only to assure them that she wasn't alone.

"Sorry," she apologized.

He raised a thin eyebrow, regarding her curiously. "Why apologize?"

"It must be boring for you, to hang around me," Mai said. She hadn't seen the shiki during the day but had the niggling feeling that he had been nearby.

"Not particularly."

"Still..." her voice trailed off and she shrugged. "_To be available in case I cut myself while preparing vegetables for my dinner_." She laughed mirthlessly. "Or, what, catch me if I trip, maybe?"

"Something along those lines," Aahil said blandly. "You know he's just being careful. Your lover—Oliver, as well."

"I know," Mai muttered, looking at her hands. "I just feel guilty. Always causing trouble for everyone."

"Trouble is hardly the same as caution." The spirit shook his head in disagreement. "You shouldn't take it personally. He used to have me follow his wife around for the same reason," he told her, absently watching the clouds move across the dark sky. "While not careless, she certainly had poor depth-perception. And peripheral vision. Always nearly running into things."

Mai giggled, remembering how often she'd see Sarah narrowly miss colliding with the side of a door on her way through it, and the occasional time when she did, laughing and wincing as she rubbed her shoulders or her forehead. Evidently, those were the times Aahil had not been there to prevent such a thing. She couldn't help the sad smile from spreading across her lips. She missed the Japanese-English woman, her infectious laugh and easy-going smile. While Sarah was certainly quieter and shy in comparison to Mai, the two had found many similarities between them and had recently become friends. "She was easily distracted," Mai admitted. "When she would focus on something—whatever she was thinking about—she would focus on it _completely_."

"And she was much like you, in that she had a poor penchant for looking out for herself." Aahil clicked his teeth quietly. "It's hard to say who my Master was more concerned for, his charming wife or his unborn child."

Mai's smile fell from her face. "Sarah was pregnant?" she whispered in disbelief.

Aahil remained silent for several moments and she could see the spirit had not realized she hadn't been privy to the information. "Only just," he finally admitted. "I forgot that they hadn't made an announcement. I thought Oliver would have told you. I apologize."

Mai looked at her hands, suddenly feeling terribly guilty and unsure why. Naru had known. She had—he had—_they _had taken Lin away from his future with his wife and child. But Naru had brought them back to a future with Gene. "You said he'll meet her again, didn't you?" She finally asked quietly.

"Very soon, in fact," the shiki affirmed.

"And—and there's no reason they won't have a child again, right?" She pleaded.

The shiki shrugged. "I cannot see that far into the future, Taniyama-san. But whatever happens, I'm sure it will be for the best. Whatever that may be."

Mai gazed at the slowly moving water of the canal. "Lin-san said I should ask you what you see when you see a person's aura."

"I can tell you what I see of yours." Mai turned her gaze nervously toward the shiki, feeling suddenly very exposed as he stared at her calmly. He held up his hand slowly toward her, fingers outstretched and each at a slightly different angle. "The currents of your energy form an intricate pattern," he said, concentrating, sweeping his hand slowly as if touching something insubstantial around her. "Cool blue and purple near your feet and hands. Waiting to be mixed into the hot currents of red and yellow at your heart. Bright whites where they mingle. A lot of white, actually. " He smiled at her, white teeth gleaming. "I can see your curiosity. Determination. And your temper." His hand curled and he held two straight fingers out, tracing an invisible line around her in a gentle arc. "The overall pattern reminds me of a dandelion. The way the energy drifts around you like the seeds blown from the stem, carried by a light breeze. They don't follow the same paths, but they follow a similar trajectory. And yet... quite unpredictable, how each seed will float in the air, where it will eventually land." He shook his head, speaking as if to himself. "Nothing like Oliver's. His spiritual energy is like the tightly chiseled facade at the Bibi-Heybat. Impressive and intricate but tightly controlled."

Mai gazed at the shiki, bewildered. "Then, does my aura look like Gene's?" she suddenly asked.

The shiki considered this. "In some ways. The floating aspect of your energy is similar to Eugene's. The currents travel similar paths. Other aspects are so different they are in fact opposite, but as they oppose each other they also mirror the other." The spirit suddenly shrugged, dropping his hands. "That's what I see."

"I don't really understand," Mai said softly, turning her gaze away to watch the reflections of the streetlamps wavering on the water. "But that's okay." Finally she sighed and began to walk again, returning toward her apartment, and Aahil followed her silently.

She stopped at a vending machine to buy a bottle of fruit juice when Aahil suddenly spoke again. "I know it's not my place to say, but..." his voice trailed off.

"Say what?" Mai encouraged. "You can say anything to me, Aahil."

"I think you should ask my Master to teach you a spell," the shiki looked at her directly, gazing at her seriously. "It would be of use to you."

Mai frowned, unscrewing the lid of her drink as she continued down the street, staring at the shiki in bemusement. "Spell.. what spell?"

"Contraceptive magic."

Mai spit out the drink, flushing bright red as she coughed and sputtered. "_Oh_," she managed.

Aahil gazed back at her coolly, completely unfazed. "It won't do for you to be pregnant now," the shiki said calmly. "I can see that in your aura. That you want to have a child. But even I can see that you shouldn't. Not yet."

"I know. Never mind that," Mai coughed, wiping her mouth with the back of her sleeve. "You think I can learn it? I don't know any magic."

"Easily. You've learned the Nine Cuts, haven't you?" The spirit dipped his head when they arrived at her door. "I apologize for... causing any discomfiture. I don't mean to unsettle you by saying such things."

"Well..." her voice trailed off as she thought about what to say. "I appreciate your honesty. I was just a little surprised."

"I'll leave you now. Good night, Taniyama-san. You can call me if you require assistance. I shall be within earshot."

"Duly noted," Mai said, smiling wryly. The shiki was an unusual character and it was strange to speak with him, but overall she enjoyed his company. "Good night, Aahil."

...

Sunday progressed much the same as the day prior. Mai ran in the morning and went through her breathing exercises, finding it just as difficult to focus as it had been the day prior. There was one message on the machine at the SPR office, though it appeared to be a prank call and did not leave a return number. The only other call that morning to distract her from her studies was a solicitation for a voice-over-internet start-up company, looking for investors. The polite man on the line seemed surprised to hear that the number he had called was a psychic research firm and asked her several polite questions before excusing himself and begging her pardon for wasting her time.

Otherwise, it was a quiet morning in the office. Mai tried to study, but gave up and began to read, as she'd thought she inevitably would. Naru had left several books out that he thought she would be interested in, but it was hard for her to concentrate in the quiet and empty room, and returned to one of the fiction novels she'd checked out from the library.

Aahil appeared in the office again around lunch time, though they did not make much conversation and the shiki spent most of the time staring out the window, frowning pensively. She wondered if he even realized that he was visible to her, though it seemed impossible that the spirit should not know such a thing. It did not surprise her when he disappeared as she cleaned her dishes and made an after-lunch cup of tea, leaving as he came, without notice.

Tired of studying and her homework complete, Mai finally picked up the books that Naru had left out for her and spent the rest of the afternoon reading about Japanese monsters of folk legend, and (in the author's particular view, at least) the evidence of the monsters in modern society. She cleaned the office before she left that evening, even tidying Naru's desk—something she never would have done in the past. Not that it required much tidying as all the papers were straight and in perfect order. Both Gene's and Lin's desks, however, she left alone.

She finally got the call from Naru in the evening. "How did it go?" She asked as she answered, nervous and excited all at once.

"We haven't taken care of Urado, not yet," his voice tired. "But we destroyed the _ebisu _in the cave yesterday. It was laughable in its simplicity."

Mai could hear Gene's snort and muffled laughter in the background. "_That easy, huh?_" The other twin said. "_You don't have to look so damned pleased with yourself, Noll_."

"I _am _pleased and have a bloody good reason to," Naru retorted, and Mai giggled at their banter.

"_Tell her she should have come along_," Gene's voice continued in the background. "_Because your ego is ten times worse when Mai's not here_."

"I'm not telling her that. I would never lie to Mai," Naru said flatly.

"_Okay, so it's what, twenty times worse?_"

Mai burst into giggles, covering her mouth with her hand. "I miss you guys," she sighed.

"How are you faring?" Naru asked her quietly.

"I'm tired," she said honestly. "The run that Lin-san asked me to do, and just.. I dunno. Everything else. I'm exhausted."

"You've been sleeping well?" He asked, and Mai shook her head at his unsaid question.

"Yes, and I haven't had any dreams, don't worry."

He frowned slightly, she could hear it in his voice. "I can't talk long, unfortunately. I just wanted to make sure you were doing okay."

"I'm fine, Naru. And you guys?"

"Fine," he repeated. "Tired. We'll tell you more about the Yoshimi case when we get back. We still have to prepare for Urado."

"What are you going to do?" She asked. Even on the morning they'd left, they hadn't had a concrete plan on what they were going to do.

"We're going to burn it down." Like his frown before, she could hear his tight, sardonic smile. "I just hope we get permission to do so first."

...

It was a sunny Monday afternoon, clear blue skies with high, wispy clouds. Mai gazed out the window, watching the clouds change shape so slowly she couldn't even see the movement. Meanwhile, in the classroom around her, her history teacher droned on and on about the Meiji restoration, the soft sound of chalk against the board as he wrote out the significant dates of certain events. Below the bright blue sky was the old school building, and she frowned slightly, wondering when her principal would contact SPR. _It had to be soon, right?_ She bit her lip and turned her head back to face the front of the class as the teacher himself turned back toward his students. Sighing, she picked up her pencil and began to copy what he had written into her notebook.

"Any questions?" The teacher asked, and one student near the front of the classroom raised his hand.

_What is the point of all of this anyway,_ Mai frowned, erasing her mistakenly copied _1866_ and writing instead _1868_.

"Did you have a question, Taniyama?"

Mai jerked her head up, face turning red and realizing she must have mumbled something aloud. "No, sir."

...

At home that evening, Mai was doodling on a notebook when her mobile vibrated again. _Just arrived_, the text message read. _Can you come here? We picked up take-away if you haven't eaten yet._

She had barely skimmed the words before she was on her feet and running toward the door, grabbing her jacket and sliding into her shoes, and as she left her house she ran down the street toward the other apartment, nervous and excited all at once.

Lin greeted her at the door. The tall man looked somewhat tired, his face drawn but otherwise his demeanor and appearance were just as tidy and professional as always, though he had removed his vest and loosened his tie.

"How did it go?" She asked breathlessly, slipping out of her shoes as she entered.

"I'll let Naru and Gene tell you about it," the man said with a slight smile. "Wouldn't want to spoil their fun."

He led her to the dining room table, where sandwiches were set out and the twins were sitting, eating and drinking. The brothers looked tired, but Gene was cheerful and Naru seemed satisfied. Gene lifted his cup of coffee to Mai in a mock-salute as she entered the room, grinning ear to ear. "Urado is gone," he said simply.

"Did you...?"

"The house was burned to the ground," he continued.

"Probably still burning, actually." Naru said mildly.

She stamped her foot impatiently. "Well, yes, but _how _did you convince them to do it?"

Lin laughed quietly, sitting down and motioning for Mai to do the same. "Or maybe they don't want to tell you. It wasn't ideal."

Naru shot Lin a glare, though on his tired face there was no menace in his expression. "It's not that I don't want to elaborate, I just think Gene should be the one to illustrate what happened. It was his idea, after all."

All three turned their gaze on the other twin. "Well—" Gene started, his voice failing him. "Was it really my idea?"

Naru rolled his eyes at his brother. "I didn't want to reveal our identities," he said stiffly. "But Gene was sure it was the only way. We introduced ourselves as Oliver and Eugene Davis, and when Gene said he'd had a terrible vision of something in the house that could only be purified by fire, in so many words, of course, they almost immediately agreed."

"Even the Prime Minister of Japan has heard of us," Gene muttered quietly. "I admit I wasn't expecting _that_."

"We watched them remove the antique furniture over the course of the day, and they set the fire first thing this morning." Naru gave a small shrug and relaxed slightly, lifting his teacup to take a drink. "The end justifies the means."

"Well, it's not like the Prime Minister is going to start telling everyone that you're in Japan," Mai said hopefully. "Right? Why would he do such a thing?"

"No," he said slowly. "But I don't imagine we'll be able to keep our trip from Martin and Luella. I just hope they don't ask us too many questions about how we ended up burning down his house."

...

The week after Naru, Gene and Lin returned from their trip passed uneventfully, although the office saw more activity than the week prior. Several potential clients came in with claims of the supernatural that were clearly domestic disputes, all of whom Gene and Naru turned politely away. The most notable of their visitors were Minami-san and Shiraishi-san of Minami Psychic Research, visiting from out of town. Minami-san claimed to have seen the advertisement and wanted to extend a warm welcome to them, though they did not _seem_ very warm or welcoming. The man was just as insufferable as Mai remembered, who walked around the office with an unimpressed look on his face. Seeing the book _Supernatural Systems_ authored by O. E. C. Davis on the shelf, he casually said, "Oh, did you know, Dr. Oliver Davis is a personal acquaintance of mine."

To which Naru simply raised an eyebrow. "Really?" he said, sounding bored. "Then please do send him our regards."

Mai continued her qigong training with Lin, who added movement to their morning breathing sessions. The two also began to run together of which, for the first fifteen minutes, Mai deplored every moment, then, rather enjoyed for the next fifteen, and then hated again with every ounce of passion in her body for the last. Afterwards they would stretch and slow their breathing. Mai very nearly fell asleep every time, but Lin was not quite as forgiving as he had been and would make her stand in poses that were all too easy for her to lose her balance and fall to the tatami to jolt herself awake.

After four days, Mai finally worked up the courage to ask Lin about the spell Aahil had told her about, and the man agreed to teach it to her. She blushed deep red as she asked him, but Lin kept his face even to stem her embarrassment. "My mother taught me this spell when I was a teenager," he said, drawing a small diagram on a piece of paper to illustrate it to her. "She had a, um," he coughed slightly, "shall we say, perhaps a very realistic view of just how well a young man can control his hormones."

Mai couldn't help but giggle shyly at the thought. Like the Nine Cuts, he told her, the spell consisted of movement of the hands, spoken word and intent. After he taught it to her and explained it several times, he sat back on the tatami and instructed her to cast it on him.

"I'll have you practice on me for a couple days before you cast it on yourself," he said, and Mai's hope that she could breach the topic only once and get over the embarrassment shattered. "Besides," the man said with a dry smile, "if you feel confident you can cast it on Naru as well."

"Lin-san, I am going to die of embarrassment," Mai muttered as she folded her arms across her chest, blushing and averting her gaze.

Lin laughed quietly out loud. "I'll have you know my mother did the exact same thing to me. I was mortified."

That made Mai laugh as well, covering her mouth with her hand. "I can't even _imagine _you being that embarrassed, Lin-san. You're always so composed."

After she cast the spell, Lin nodded in encouragement. "Not bad. What you just cast on me will be effective for at least a day, at most a week. Like any spells you learn to cast, as you gain confidence you'll be able to make the spell stronger or weaker, depending on how it will suit your needs. We'll do it again tomorrow."

As it was nearing the end of the school year, Mai's schoolwork was light but she still had less and less free time. Waking up early to train every day with Lin, she was exhausted by the evenings and went to bed earlier than she had before. Because the office was busy, she only saw the twins for the short period when she went to the office after school and then again for dinner. When not turning away potential clients, Naru was reading voraciously, though Gene seemed somewhat listless in his own sporadic research.

It had been over a week since Lin had first taught Mai the beginning breathing meditations, though much to her annoyance she could not clear her focus well enough not to become distracted without her instructor's spoken guidance. As soon as he stopped speaking her mind would begin to wander and he would quietly remind her what they were doing. When she expressed her frustration and displeasure, he simply shook his head and told her to be patient. Gratefully, she did not have any more visions during their morning meditation sessions. She didn't want to have any; the thought of having a vision reminded her of her unpleasant dream of a future with an absent Naru that she would rather forget.

And the days continued in their established routine.

...

An ocean away, a doorbell rang and a woman hurried down the stairs to answer her front door. A delivery man was standing with an enormous and expensive-looking flower arrangement. After asking the man to verify the address, she accepted the flowers with a bewildered expression on her face, thanked the courier and brought them inside. Curious, she opened the envelope, eyes growing wide as she read the card.

_To Mr Eugene Davis and Mr Oliver Davis_

_It is with utmost gratitude that Mr Mori wishes to sincerely thank you for the service you have done for him.._

The letter continued with words of praise and gratitude for the brothers while never identifying what exactly it was they had done. The woman skimmed down the lines to the signature, eyes growing even larger as she read who had sent the extravagant bouquet.

_Sincerely_

_TSURUNAMI Chuji (Mr)_

_Secretary to the 55th Prime Minister of Japan_

The woman's hands began to shake and she turned and hurried down the hall, calling out to her husband. "Martin! Would you look at this!"

...

* * *

A/N: Probably my fastest installment yet, for better or worse. Unfortunately I've got some Life Things coming up in the next few weeks so the next update won't be as timely. Thanks in advance for your patience!

Special thanks to Meepyonnee for straightening me out on various canon facts for this chapter. (I will be the first to admit I'm terrible with these sorts of things.)

Also, to everyone I assured that Takigawa would show up in this chapter, well, I lied. Sorry! But we're still not ready for him yet. Next chapter.. promise ;)

Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think. I'm very curious to see how this chapter is received.. I admit I am also a bit nervous and worry that I will have disappointed you. T_T Anyway, comments are always appreciated and I love to hear from you, so please let me know your feedback!


	14. Part XIV

As always... please forgive the wait.

* * *

_**Part XIV**_

He would be the first to concede it had been a long week. Gene closed his eyes and massaged his temples with his fingertips, leaning forward to rest his elbows against his desk. Nothing had happened at the office. Once again, they'd had a quiet week with no inquiries. Still, they'd been busy in every other aspect. First and foremost was his brother's imminent return to England. His adopted parents had booked the flight for early the following week, so he had only three full days before his twin left to return to university classes, coursework and no doubt the curiosity from the entirety of the British Society for Psychic Research. Gene frowned as he thought. He wasn't sure quite what it was, but there was something bothering him about Noll's return to their home country. He'd hoped that if he didn't think about it too hard it would come to him, but so far he was only left with a vague uneasiness.

The days had not passed idly. Noll was reading as much as ever, and when he didn't have his nose buried in a book or glued to a screen the two would test the limits of their newfound telepathy. After only four days both had become quite good at opening or blocking off the connection with ease. As they'd suspected, distance did not seem to matter. In fact, Gene had not spent very much time at the office in the past few days at all, instead preferring to visit different libraries across the Tokyo metropolitan area and checking in on Noll periodically via their telepathic bond. They'd found several new resources this way as his brother had never scoured the area libraries for Japanese texts before, knowing he would not be able to fully read them. It took considerable effort, first to even find the books hidden in the stacks. Gene would scour the historical records, and with a combination of telepathy and Noll's psychometry, they were able to single out the books of interest. Noll then undertook the task of reading and translating them alone, as Gene's Japanese reading was quite limited and Noll refused to ask for assistance from Lin or Mai. Rather than being daunted, his brother was invigorated by the challenge. Noll was nothing if not dedicated to their work.

Mai was also suddenly inundated with end-of-term schoolwork and had, for the time being, reluctantly agreed to stop making meals for the four. She had instead taken to coming to the office after school to do her homework, though she would sort the mail and answer the phone while she was there. Meanwhile, she'd continued her qigong training with Lin, which was obviously tasking though she was reluctant to admit it. His brother was concerned about the progression of her abilities—not that Gene wasn't—but Noll was leaving the country while he himself would remain by her side. Gene very much hoped their telepathy would work as effectively across the globe. He saw no reason why it wouldn't—considering they were linked through the spiritual realm rather than the physical—but he didn't want to have to discuss Mai's progress aloud. He knew that eventually, no matter how careful they were, someone was bound to overhear. For now, at least, the brothers kept abreast of her training as the onmyouji reported to the twins daily over breakfast how the morning session had gone. Lin had just begun to teach Mai how to shield herself from absorbing residual psychic energy around her—first to recognize it, second to prevent herself from taking in too much at a time—and although it was slow going, Lin was convinced she was making progress.

"What's wrong?"

Gene did not need to open his eyes to know his brother was watching him with mild interest. He shook his head wordlessly and his twin shrugged, turning back to his papers. "What time is it?"

"About quarter to four," Noll answered. He paused, considering the time. "Mai should be here soon."

Gene opened his eyes and straightened, rubbing his hands vigorously through his hair. "I'm not sure if I should say _already _or _it's about time_," he murmured to himself.

Noll looked annoyed, a frown tugging on his lips as he turned over a paper and skimmed the reverse side. Gene felt a gentle probing at his mind as his twin considered him, trying to assess his emotions. "Seriously, what is it?"

"Nothing." Gene said shortly, and then sighed, feeling his brother's palpable displeasure. "At least nothing I can put into words."

Noll lifted his eyes to gaze at his brother seriously, unblinkingly. "Can you show me, then?"

Gene shifted slightly in his seat so he was sitting sideways, resting his elbow against the back of the chair and brushing his thumb against his lips. "It's probably nothing." He closed his eyes and rested his head against his hand. "I'm tired."

"Then take a nap."

"I don't need a nap," Gene said stubbornly, to which his brother shrugged but remained silent, returning his gaze to the papers on his desk.

Gene exhaled loudly, shifting again in his seat and pulling his leg toward his chest, resting his head on his knee and turning his annoyed stare at the papers on his desk: papers his younger twin had asked him to read. He wished he'd gone instead to the library in Kamagaya that afternoon as originally planned. Instead, he was stuck in the quiet office, trying to catch up to Noll's unparalleled knowledge and unbelievable memory of what had been published on the supernatural. It was frustrating, to say the least, knowing Noll was reading new material while he read theses and articles his brother had read and made his own opinions—no doubt sometimes opposing—years ago. It was unnatural and almost cruel, Gene thought, glancing at his twin in irritation, that he should have such good memory.

Noll looked up when he heard the office door open and was about to rise when Gene spoke. "It's only Lin back from his errands."

His twin paused in his movements but stood anyway. "I need to ask him about the Chinese reading of this kanji. It's not in the dictionary."

Gene nodded and watched his brother leave their office from his peripheral vision, blowing his bangs off his forehead when they fell into his eyes. "I need a haircut," he mumbled to himself, rubbing his forehead with his hand and closing his eyes. He was vaguely aware of his brother and Lin's conversation in the other room, though he wasn't interested in the obscure kanji or the peculiar usage in the text. Their voices faded and he found himself falling and sinking into the dream, the muted darkness washing over him.

He stood in the doorway between the kitchen and the dining room at their home in suburban London. In front of him, his father and brother were eating breakfast in silence. Noll was sipping his tea and staring out the window while his father paged through the morning newspaper.

He heard the approaching footsteps behind him and quickly stepped out of the way as his mother hurried through the door, her features etched with worry. In her hand she gripped a portable phone tightly. "Martin, Gene hasn't called in two days now and he isn't answering his mobile."

His father looked up, but his unfazed brother was the one who spoke first. "I'm sure he's just busy, Mum," he said blandly, but his voice was unable to soothe her.

"Noll's right, Lu," his father tried. "When he first arrived he didn't call for several days because he was tired, isn't that right? I'm sure there's an innocuous explanation. Perhaps he lost his phone charger and hasn't bought a new one yet."

"He's always careless that way," Noll muttered in a bored tone.

Luella pursed her lips and looked away, passing the phone between her hands repeatedly. "You're right," she finally said, exhaling as her shoulders drooped in defeat. "I'm sure you're right." She shook herself slightly and glanced at the clock, frowning when she saw the time. "Noll, you'll miss your train if you don't hurry," she said lightly, turning on her heel, pulling several packed lunches from the kitchen refrigerator and setting them on the counter. There were only three, but somehow Gene knew she'd accidentally made four out of habit the night before. "I can't give you a ride if you miss it because I have to be at school early today," she called.

Noll sighed as he looked up, turning lazy glance toward the clock before rising slowly to his feet. Gene would have laughed aloud to see the petulant look on his brother's face if it weren't for the feeling of dread gnawing in his stomach.

Gene followed his brother silently as he left the dining room. Noll walked down the narrow hallway toward their bedrooms, his socked feet padding softly against the wooden floors. He watched his twin gather his things, wondering if he was wrong to be nervous. Noll bent by his bookshelf, searching the titles and frowning slightly when he did not find the book he sought. Rising to his feet, he went to the side door which connected their two bedrooms. He opened the door without hesitation and stepped into the unlit bedroom. Gene watched him as he crossed the room and searched the bookshelves. Noll then approached the cluttered desk, pushing aside papers and pulling open the desk drawers, frowning when he did not find what he was looking for.

Gene knew what he was thinking. _Why take _that_ book with you, you idiot?_ It was practically written across his twin's features. _I know you're not going to read it. _Noll exhaled, leaning against the desk chair and folding his arms across his chest. He pushed himself fully upright, crossing the room, reaching for Gene's best dress shirt, freshly pressed and ironed, hanging innocuously on its hanger on the hook at the back of the door.

His brother's body froze as his fingers touched the fabric, blue eyes widening, suddenly blind to his surroundings as his psychometry latched onto the thread of a memory from across the world. All color drained from his already pale face and his rigid limbs began to tremble. Gene heard a sudden rushing in his ears as Noll's legs buckled beneath him, the boy just managing to catch himself with his arms. Gene thought that Noll suddenly appeared very small. Echoing his distress, all the objects in the room began to shake.

It'd been a long time since he'd seen his twin lose control. Books tumbled from the shelves as if the house itself were shaking, the wooden furniture rocking and wobbling unsteadily against the floor. A ceramic mug of pencils teetered at the edge of the desk before crashing into pieces on the floor. The light bulb popped in the fixture and Gene jumped when the windows shattered behind him, the glass passing through his insubstantial body, bouncing and tinkling as the shards hit the floor.

The rushing in his ears cleared just enough that Gene was able to hear another agonized sound, though it took him a moment to realize it was his brother's howling voice, screaming in anguish, pain and despair. It was something Gene never should have heard; something he _never _wanted to hear.

Luella was there in an instant, throwing open the door and rushing inside on shaky legs. She fell to her knees, pulling the boy off the floor and gathering him into her arms. "_Noll_," she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks and dripping onto his silky hair, cradling his head to her chest. "_Noll_!"

Martin was there close behind her, kneeling beside the two with one hand on Luella's shoulder and the other on his son's back, his face pained and anxious. And still Noll continued to scream, hands weak at his forehead, his eyes wide and glassy as tears fell down his cheeks. His parents must have connected the dots by now. Surely Luella knew; had known as soon as she heard him scream. And Martin: the man looked utterly lost. Gene had never seen his father appear like this before, desolate and weary. Martin certainly knew by now as well. There was only one thing in the world that could make Noll react like that. His better half was never coming home.

_No_—

Noll's voice broke and he began to sob, his hands clenched in his hair as Luella rocked him gently back and forth in her arms, crying silently. The shaking in the room began to subside, but it felt as if someone had pulled the curtains shut, blocking out any light and warmth that had the means to drive away the dark despair.

_Don't leave me, don't leave me here, by myself, all alone_—

"Never," Gene said aloud, his voice breaking. "I could never—" He realized his hands were tightly clenched into fists and he exhaled, trying to release them. He shut his eyes tightly, shuddering when he felt tears slip down his cheeks.

_This never even happened. Not really._

The thought struck him violently and a sob escaped his lips, echoing the sound of his weeping brother. "_Yes it did_," he whispered, trembling. "It happened. Martin or Luella might not remember this, but Noll lived this. _This time existed_." Gene covered his ears with his hands, desperately trying to block out the despairing sounds. His family, as broken as the glass that littered the floor. Because of him. Because he'd been careless. Because his pride was just as bad as his egotistical younger brother's.

"_No more_," Gene whispered frantically. He was swimming against the tide of guilt that threatened to pull him under. He shook himself fiercely. "_This is a dream. I'm not dead anymore_."

The words were a incantation and Gene felt the vision slip off him, freeing him from its grasp. He kicked his legs, struggling upwards from the depths of the darkness and shaking himself awake. Sitting up at his desk, he opened his eyes to see his twin gazing at him with stoically.

"What?" he asked testily. He didn't want to talk about what he had seen.

"You had a vision," Noll said softly, his tone slightly accusatory as if he didn't think his brother would admit to the fact without prodding.

Gene rubbed at his eyes with his fingers. "Yeah," he admitted. "I saw something that didn't happen a long time ago."

His brother tensed at the words. Staring into his eyes, the scream he'd heard echoed in his mind and drifted into the space that only the two of them could hear.

"You want me to show you?" Gene blurted, but even as he opened his mouth he wished he could have stopped himself from uttering the words, realizing immediately how callous they were.

"No." Noll's eyes hardened as his voice dropped suddenly, barely above a whisper. "You don't need to. I remember well enough," he said, turning his back on his brother. He placed the papers he held on his desk and crossed the room to return to the reception area.

"Noll," Gene pleaded.

Noll paused in the doorway, turning toward him and closing the door behind him so Lin could not overhear. "Don't apologize," he said, his tone level and his composure once again firmly in place. "It's something you should know. I'll admit, looking back, the only mistake I've made in all this was the way I showed you what happened. I probably should have completely opened our psychic connection from the very beginning, should have shared everything I've seen and experienced from the start."

"No," Gene started quietly, closing his eyes as he tried to focus his thoughts into words. Opening them again, he fixed a steady gaze on his twin. "You don't need to share everything with me, Noll. You shouldn't. I didn't realize that at first. It's not fair to you to ask you to divulge everything." His brother looked as if he were about to speak but Gene cut him off. "I've been childish," he said quietly. "You think I've told you everything I've ever done when we've been apart?"

At this Noll faltered somewhat. "It's not comparable."

"Maybe," Gene said dubiously, tilting his head. "Maybe not."

"And yet you continue to have visions of that nonexistent time," Noll said, frowning as he crossed his arms against his chest and leaned against the desk. "Wouldn't it be easier if you simply let me show you everything?"

"That's not the issue," Gene said slowly, coming around his desk to sit next to his brother, leaning so close so that their arms touched. "Anything I might remember will be because I was there with you. Because my spirit was," he corrected himself. "I don't think I should see anything that happened when I wasn't." He exhaled and draped an arm loosely around his brother's stiff shoulders. "So, no. I don't want you to let me look into your memories, Noll." His lips quirked into a small grin. "Besides, isn't it more fun to wait and see what I'll be able to remember on my own?"

Noll remained silent. Gene watched his brother's profile, his lips pursing slightly as he thought. "As you wish," he finally agreed with slight resignation.

Both turned their heads as they heard the phone ring in the main office, though it was cut short before it could continue. Gene straightened, rising to his feet. "Mai must have just arrived." His brother regarded him curiously, an eyebrow raising as he considered him. "It's a case," he continued, crossing the room and opening the door.

Noll followed him to the reception, turning his gaze to where Mai stood. She leaned over her desk, the phone held to her ear and pencil hovering above the writing pad she had reserved for taking messages. She was still wearing her jacket over her school uniform and her school satchel sat on her chair, partially hidden behind a canvas shopping bag. Gene was right: it was evident she'd only just arrived as the phone rang.

"Yes, sir," she said politely. "Let me make you an appointment for a consultation. Next week—yes, Wednesday is fine." As she said this, her face fell and she looked up, searching for Naru's gaze. Her chestnut-colored eyes were both sad and apologetic, knowing he would not be there in the office with them to meet the client. "Yes. We'll see you at four o'clock. Thank you. Yes. Yes, please do."

Naru glanced at his brother, watching him as he sat down on the sofa.

"Thank you very much, Kanegae-san. We'll wait for your confirmation. Please ring again if you need to reschedule. We look forward to meeting you. Until then." Mai placed the phone back on the cradle, straightening her back and picking up the writing pad. "Kanegae Yuuto," she said, crossing the room and passing her notes to Naru for his review, "from Okimi town. He said it's in Hiroshima Prefecture, but I don't know exactly where it is. He's going to be in Tokyo next week, Wednesday only, so he'll come by the office that afternoon."

"Rural property in Okimi-cho," Naru read. "Strange sounds, the dogs won't stop barking, the hired help and volunteers see apparitions in the orchard at night."

"Just the usual suspects," Gene said, yawning.

Naru passed the pad to his brother. "This'll be your case, Gene. If you take it."

"Yeah, yeah," Gene said, pushing himself off the sofa and crossing the room to replace the notepad on Mai's desk by the phone. "You wouldn't?" He asked his brother with a laugh, raising an eyebrow before turning back to Mai, watching as she rummaged in her shopping bag. "What do you have there?"

"I stopped by the supermarket on my way here," Mai said with a bright smile, producing a packaged chocolate sponge cake. "We needed coffee but look what I found on sale!"

"Just what I needed," Gene breathed, a delighted smile lifting his lips. "Don't suppose you want any, Noll?"

"No," Naru said shortly.

"I bought the dark chocolate, Naru," Mai said, bringing plates and forks from the kitchenette and setting them on the low table by the sofa. "If that makes any difference."

He hesitated. "Then maybe a little," he conceded, sitting down on the sofa.

Mai looked pleased with herself. "I'll make some tea," she said with a smile.

"Coffee for me, please?" Gene asked, taking the cake to the table and sitting in one of the plush, comfortable chairs, slipping off his shoes and bending his knees so his feet rested on the edge of the seat.

"Of course. I also bought some _mikans_, do you want any?"

Naru's facial expression lightened as he relaxed. "I'll have a couple."

"_Mikan_?" Gene asked, unfamiliar with the word.

"Um," Mai closed her eyes and scrunched her nose as she thought, her index finger hovering and pointing in the air. "In English they're called... satsuma, I think."

"Satsuma oranges or satsuma mandarin," Naru elaborated, folding his hands in his lap.

"I'll bring them to the table." Mai knocked gently on Lin's partially-closed door. "Lin-san," she called. "Can I interest you in some tea and cake?"

"Please," Lin said as he came out of his office, holding an envelope and a creased paper in his hand. "Noll," he started quietly.

"What is it?"

Lin hesitated, moving his gaze between the twins. "I received a letter from my mother. Apparently my grandmother's taken it in her mind to get her passport renewed. So she can come to Japan."

Naru frowned. "Why?"

The tall Chinese man shook his head. "She didn't say."

Holding a tray of steaming teacups in one hand and a bowl of the satsumas in the other, Mai glanced between Lin and Naru curiously as she placed them on the table, passing the tea out before serving the cake onto small plates. "Your grandmother, Lin-san? Why is it so unusual that she should come here?"

"Well," Lin paused, nodding his thanks as he took the proffered plate. "My grandmother doesn't really travel anymore."

"She didn't come to your wedding," Naru stated, reaching for a satsuma and peeling it easily, dividing the fruit in half and passing one to his brother.

Lin nodded. "My parents can barely get her to cross the bridge from Liu To village to visit Kwai Chung city where the rest of the family lives. She certainly wouldn't come to this country just to see me. And that she wants to have a discussion in person is surprising. Usually she sends her messages through her shiki."

"Oh, your grandmother has shiki, too?" Mai asked.

"Of course," Lin said. "She's the head onmyouji of our family, after all. She's the one who taught me."

"Oh," Mai said, her mouth dropping open in surprise. During her own training sessions with the man, she'd absently wondered who Lin's teacher might have been, but she would not have guessed it to be his grandmother.

"She gave some of her spirit familiars to you, didn't she?" Gene asked, lifting an eyebrow at Lin as he raised his coffee to his lips.

"Yes, she passed two of her own shiki to my servitude when I became of age." Lin said. He frowned, folding the letter and placing it on the table, picking up the cup of tea Mai had placed before him and shaking his head. "Yesterday Aahil said he felt something, he and the rest of my shiki. Something among the spirit familiars, some kind of tremor on the spiritual plane. None of my shiki know what to make of it and neither do I, but my grandmother will. She's no doubt aware of whatever's happened, and the reason for her visit is certainly linked."

Naru glanced at his brother. "Is that why you've been so uneasy today?"

Gene leaned back into the sofa and absently scratched his neck with his hand. "No," he started slowly. "At least I don't think so."

Mai bit her lip, meeting Naru's gaze nervously as he turned his eyes on her. "What about you, Mai?" He asked softly.

"I haven't felt anything," Mai said, turning the small fruit over in her hands nervously. "Really."

"It may be nothing," Lin said, portioning off a bite of the cake and holding it on his fork, considering the dessert as he spoke. "It's just strange that my grandmother is coming and I wanted to let you know. That's all."

...

Instead of a home-cooked meal that evening, the quartet went out to eat at a small French bistro a few blocks away from the office in Dogenzaka. Gene impressed Mai as well as their Swiss waitress by speaking French, first ordering their meals in the language and then flirting with the young woman as she brought tea and bread. It wasn't a surprise to hear him speak it—after all, Mai knew Luella taught French at a private school in Enfield, a northern borough of London; the woman had once told Mai that the first thing she'd done when the adopted twins came to their new English home was to teach them the language. Mai remembered Luella's sad smile when she recalled how much Gene loved speaking French with her. The Englishwoman hadn't elaborated but it was clear it was something special the two of them had shared. Mai was drawn out of her reflections when Naru rolled his eyes as his brother tried to carry on a conversation with him, giggling in spite of herself.

"You're being immature, Gene," Naru said. "It's not fair to carry on a conversation when Mai and Lin can't understand us."

"I don't think Lin cares if we talk about the weather or whatnot," Gene retorted. "Besides, Aahil can translate for him if he really wants to know. And I think Mai would like to see you show off. Unless you haven't spoken it in fifteen years and have forgotten it all. _Maintenant, mon cher frère, ce ne serait pas une disgrâce?_" He gazed at his brother first with amusement, and then with annoyance when his twin refused to answer him. "_Sérieusement_, Noll, _tu sais à quel point il aurait été à Luella, tu as jamais parlé avec elle comme ça?_"

"It wouldn't have been the same if I spoke to her in French and you know it. You're the one who wants to show off, Gene." Naru's frowned with exasperation and looked pointedly at his tea. "I'm not playing this game."

"Oh, Aahil speaks French?" Mai asked Lin hurriedly, sensing the tension between the brothers. She had known Naru learned the language to some degree, but had in fact never heard him speak it. While the thought did appeal to her, she would rather mollify the situation rather than satisfy her own petty desires.

The onmyouji nodded, no doubt aware of what Mai's aim for conversation was. "Yes," he said, taking a piece of bread from the basket. "While many spirit familiars can understand human intent and emotions regardless of the language they speak, a spirit bound in servitude must understand specific instructions through language. Aahil does not speak many languages; but his previous master spoke French which is why he is fluent." He eyed Gene curiously. "I'm surprised you knew he spoke French, Gene. Certainly he hasn't spoken the language to you."

Naru and Gene stopped glaring at each other, looking at Lin with mild interest. "Do you usually speak with him in English or Chinese, then?" Gene asked, evading Lin's question.

"English," Lin said shortly. "Aahil's Cantonese is even worse than his Japanese."

Mai nibbled on her toast, tilting her head back and forth as she thought. Had she really only conversed with the spirit in English? She couldn't remember. "Aahil wasn't one of the two shiki your grandmother passed on to you, was he?"

"No," Lin said. "He was not."

Mai bit her lip, wondering if she should ask more questions. Now was probably not a good time to unravel Lin's past with Aahil, but the onmyouji might not think there was ever a good time and she was very curious. Gene was evidently just as inquisitive and spoke when Mai hesitated.

"Who was his previous master?" He glanced at his brother. "I suppose you know all this already, Noll."

"No," Naru said thoughtfully. "I know nothing of Lin's shiki in particular. But if his previous master spoke French, I can only speculate it had to do with Thibault Bertin, of which I know very little." He raised an eyebrow at the taller man. "You took his spirit familiar from him?"

Both Mai and Gene looked between the two curiously. "That must have been when you were in Morocco, right Lin?" Gene prompted, and Mai's face fell slightly as she wondered how little she truly knew about her instructor and friend.

Lin exhaled. Mai knew he was displeased Naru had brought up the subject, though he covered his annoyance well. "Yes. But now is not a good time to talk about the Thibault Bertin incident." Their waitress was approaching again, carrying a massive tray with soups, salads and sandwiches carefully arranged. "Tomorrow," he promised, rubbing his temple by his right eye, fingers hidden beneath his hair. "I'll tell you about it tomorrow."

...

They were leaving the restaurant when Gene snapped his fingers by his head. "I forgot something at the office," he realized. "You guys go on ahead," he said, waving the others away. "You don't need to wait for me. It'll just be a minute."

"I'll go with you," Lin said, following the older twin.

"Lin, it's not—" Gene began to protest.

"I'll go with you," Lin repeated, and Mai had a feeling the onmyouji wanted to speak to him privately about what had happened in the restaurant earlier.

"Come on, Mai," Naru said, taking her by the elbow. "I don't want to miss the train."

Gene visibly started, stumbling slightly. "Gene?" Lin asked, steadying the boy's shoulder.

"It's nothing," Gene said, shrugging off Lin's hand. His brother was watching him closely and Mai looked concerned, her eyebrows knitting together.

"We'll walk with you, Gene," she began. "The office isn't really out of the way from here to Shibuya Station—"

"We're closer to Meiji-jingumae Station from here, Mai," Naru said. "It's only a few blocks north. There's no reason to walk all the way back to Shibuya Station."

"Right." Gene looked satisfied with his brother's excuse and waved them away. "See you later."

Mai and Naru stood on the corner, watching the two disappear down the street. "Let's go, Mai," Naru repeated, his hands tucked in the pockets of his coat.

She reluctantly turned, following him as he turned the walk in the opposite direction of the other two. "Will he be all right, Naru?"

"He'll be fine," Naru said. "You don't need to worry about Gene if Lin's with him."

Mai nodded, willing herself to agree. "Yeah. Just then.. for some reason.. I felt kind of nervous."

He paused so she could catch up to his longer stride and the two walked side-by-side along the narrow street. "He had a vision this afternoon; shortly before you came to the office. It's quite probable he's still off-balance from that."

"A vision?" Mai asked uncertainly. "Not about.. about Kanegae Yuuto?" She frowned slightly, remembering how Gene had acted as if there was no question about whether or not they would take the case.

"No," Naru said, turning down another street. After another block the streets widened and the buildings began to be replaced by trees, their walk to the subway station leading them through the tip of Yoyogi Park. "It was something that happened before. Something that happened to us."

Mai furrowed her eyebrows, noting that _us_ could refer to either herself and Naru, or Naru and Gene. He hadn't specified. It was rare for him to be so ambiguous. "Naru..."

He shook his head but would not meet her gaze. "Don't worry about it, Mai," and hurrying across the street, she followed him down the steps into the underground.

...

The two were quiet for much of the train ride. Mai seemed to be lost in her thoughts and Naru found himself unjustifiably irritated that she was still thinking about his brother. "I looked up Okimi town in the atlas before we left the office," she said suddenly, flexing her grip on the support beam. "It's on Etajima Island, just south of Hiroshima city in the bay."

Naru turned his gaze on her, but her eyes were trained listlessly at the warning and courtesy signs posted above the doors.

"Hiroshima, huh..." she continued, a nostalgic smile tugging on her lips. "So far away. I wonder if Gene'll take the case. It seems like it's been forever since I've been on a long, uncomfortable car ride to some distant part of Japan." She looked up at him then, pushing out her lower lip in a pout. "It won't be the same without you, Naru."

"Naturally."

"You say this is Gene's case, but won't you at least call from England to discuss it? We could have a conference call when he comes.." she closed her eyes, thinking. "Four in the afternoon... would be... morning in London." She nibbled on the edge of her lip as she thought. "Eight hours difference, so.. eight o'clock." She opened her eyes, gazing at him hopefully. "At least it's not in the middle of the night. It's doable, isn't it?"

A dry smile twitched at the edge of Naru's lips. "Probably not. I'll be either taking the train to Cambridge or going with Martin to BSPR. No matter how feasible it is, Mai, you don't need my opinions."

She stamped her foot in aggravation. "Don't say that, Naru."

He shrugged. "Gene can conduct an interview just as well as I can. He may forget important questions, but your instincts and experience will certainly be enough to cover everything. Not to mention Lin will be there."

Mai looked at her feet. "I'm sure Gene would like to discuss it with you."

"Yes," Naru conceded. "But at the same time, it might be better for him to have a solo case for once. He won't admit this but I know he's still bothered by the amount of time I've lived without him." He sighed. "Don't look at the floor like that, Mai."

She jerked her gaze up to meet his, flushing slightly. "Sorry."

"People will think I've made you cry."

"I'm not crying," she protested. He gazed at her pointedly. "Really. I'm not crying if no tears have fallen."

"Is that how you define it, then," he said loftily. "Never mind the moisture in your eyes."

She couldn't help but giggle at his dubious expression and sniffed, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. "See?"

"That's better."

"_Yes_, Naru," she said, pretending to be cross, but he could see her eyes were twinkling again. Her hand found his, her fingers surreptitiously intertwining with his own and their bodies swayed in synchronization with the movement of the jostling train.

...

It wasn't a long train ride, but it was dark outside by the time they arrived at Mai's apartment and the two teenagers hurried through the wooden gate, slipping beneath the silhouette of the lilac tree and inside.

"I think I've never been so thankful for a weekend," Mai said, dropping her school bag at her door, pulling off her jacket and kicking off her slip-on shoes at the same time. "Lin-san said I did well enough this week that I can have a break tomorrow. Well—I guess he didn't say if I did well enough, but he _did _say we should take a break." She made a slight face. "Now that I think about it, that doesn't sound good at all, does it?"

Naru smiled as he followed her inside the apartment, slipping off his shoes and stepping up onto the raised floor. "Either way, lucky me."

"Lucky _me_," Mai retorted. "You're not the one who has to get up at five in the morning to go on a _horrendously _long run—" She stopped mid-sentence as his hand took hers, pulling her gently toward him as his other arm snaked around her middle.

"Lucky _us_," he corrected with a sly grin, and Mai closed her eyes as his lips trailed over the back of her neck.

"Come inside first, alright?" She giggled breathlessly.

"The door's closed."

"You don't want a cup of tea?" She teased, leaning into his body and reaching a hand to caress his face with her fingertips.

"As you like," he said, though he only slightly loosened his hold around her torso. "I like it when you wear your hair up like this," he murmured softly, and Mai shivered to feel his breath on her ear, tickling the loose hairs at the base of her neck. "I find it.. very alluring."

"I like it when you catch me by surprise," Mai laughed quietly, turning in his arms to meet his lips with hers.

"I know," he responded, a small smile twitching the edges of his lips as she kissed him.

Mai sighed and kissed him again. "I love it when you smile like that," she murmured, closing her eyes and resting her head against his shoulder. "I can't believe you're going back to England in four days."

He shrugged slightly as he stroked his fingers through her hair. "There's nothing to be done. Don't dwell on it if it's going to make you so despondent."

"Easy for you to say," she retorted.

He smirked, releasing her from his arms and she followed him past the entry to her living room. "Shall we have that tea? You were yawning on the train."

"I'm not sleepy anymore," she giggled, leaning forward to kiss him again. He closed his eyes and let her kiss him; allowed her hands to tug on his sweater, pulling him gently toward the floor.

"Evidently," he murmured. His blue eyes narrowed in satisfaction as she settled in his lap and he slipped his hand under the hem of the blouse of her uniform, feeling the smooth skin of her lower back as he moved his lips from her neck to her collarbone. His smirk widened to hear her inhale sharply at his touch.

Distracted with each other, neither heard the sound of footsteps approaching outside and the slight rap that could have been a knock at the door. However, preoccupied as they were, both definitely heard the sound the front door made as it slid open, revealing a very astonished looking couple. What followed transpired over a matter of seconds.

The woman's mouth dropped open in surprise as she gaped at the two before her and the taller man behind her had lost all color from his cheeks, his eyes perhaps even wider than his wife's. The affectionate couple immediately sprang apart. Mai scrambled away from Naru, pulling down her sweater and adjusting her skirt around her waist, hoping—_hoping_—neither had seen the exposed skin of her stomach or where their son's hands had just been. Meanwhile, Naru had straightened and ran a hand through his hair, cursing silently and preparing himself both physically and mentally to greet their guests.

Gene's warning came a second too late. _They're here_, his panicked voice said in his mind. _I don't know how or when but they're here, Martin and Luella are _here—

"Gene!" Luella exclaimed with a squeak before her son could speak, taking several steps forward but stopping at the threshold of the raised floor. Naru noted dryly that even in her frazzled state, his mother seemed to remember enough of Japanese etiquette not to step up in her outdoor shoes.

Luella's face was pale, aghast to have seen one of her adopted sons in a compromising position with a clearly very willing girl. _They were on the floor. She had been in his lap._ Her eyes darted around the room. _In what was obviously an otherwise empty house. His hands had been under her clothes._ "What are you—"

"Not Gene, Mum. It's me, Oliver." Naru's lips curved in what was almost a smile. "Though I can understand that you would confuse me for Gene in this kind of situation."

Both Martin and Luella stared at him with mouths agape, completely flabbergasted. Luella recovered first, closing her mouth. Strangely, she seemed somewhat relieved to hear it was the younger twin rather than the elder, but Naru's gaze was focused on his father's, knowing his mother's outburst was over but they'd yet to receive his father's.

"_Oliver_?!" Martin said, having finally found his voice, his nostrils flaring. "What in the devil's blazes—"

Mai flinched. She'd never heard Martin angry before. Upset, yes—but never angry. And it was the kind of quiet, unbearable anger filled with bewilderment and disappointment. She lowered her gaze, tears welling in her eyes. There had never been a confrontation like this between Naru and his adopted parents, both in the past or within that future they'd lived through, and certainly _never _concerning a girl.

"I can see your brother getting himself into this kind of trouble, but you!?" Martin continued incredulously. "If _this_ is what you're spending your time doing, what can we expect from Eugene? Where's Lin?" He didn't wait for an answer because the answer was evident: _Not here. _"He's supposed to be keeping tabs on you two. Is this why you ran off so suddenly and wanted to open a so-called satellite _office_? Does Lin know about this? Is this why he needed to rent a separate house in his own name? So you could be away from your family and experiment with some Japanese t—" He pointed at Mai rudely, but Naru cut him off.

"No, Father." Naru said firmly, speaking quickly before his adopted father could say something he would surely regret when the situation was sorted out. Martin had never said anything disrespectful to Mai before and he wasn't going to allow him to start now, now that they were meeting again for the first time.

Being called '_Father_' caused Martin to stop. Naru glanced at Mai, sighing as he saw her. She was staring at the floor and was clearly on the verge of crying. Rising to his feet, Naru took a deep breath and continued. "Gene and Lin should be here soon, I think. Before that, I believe an introduction is in order." It was then, as he stood, that he noticed a third figure standing behind his adopted parents in the threshold: a slim Japanese-English woman he had not expected to see again for some time. Lin's future wife Sarah was cringing and very much trying to disappear into the shadows, not wanting to be witness to the unfolding family drama.

Mai was trembling slightly and Naru reached down to take her hand, pulling her gently to her feet. "I was very much looking forward to introducing you. I hope you'll trust me when I say I envisioned very different circumstances." He took several steps forward, nearly dragging Mai with him toward his staring parents. Mai felt her tears finally slip down her cheeks, tremendously embarrassed. Had she been looking at Martin or Luella's faces rather than their feet, she would have seen Luella's eyebrows knit together in empathy. Luella was not the type of woman who could see another cry without being moved to tears herself. Martin also appeared to show some regret for his words, not expecting to make her cry, though his features were still darkened with anger.

"Mother, Father, this is Taniyama Mai."

"Mai Taniyama?" Martin asked, raising his eyebrows in disbelief. "Isn't she the assistant you've hired at the office?"

"Yes."

"P-Pleased to meet you," Mai managed with a shaking voice, her eyes still steadfast on the floor. She bowed in greeting, her hands on her thighs as she lowered herself before them. "Mr. and Mrs. Davis."

"It's nice to meet you, Mai," Luella said, though Mai couldn't imagine there was anything nice about it at all. The woman reached into her purse and retrieved a small packet of tissues, holding them out toward the girl when she straightened. Mai took them numbly and Luella turned her gaze back to her son. "Oliver, not to be rude, but I think it'd be better if you sent her home. Before that, could you... could you tell her I'm sorry we startled her? I mean... we were rather shocked, Noll." She glanced at her husband. "We weren't... weren't expecting to find you like this."

"Mai is completely fluent in English," Naru said. A bitter smile formed on his lips. "She lived in London for six years, after all."

"Oh," Luella said. Her pale blue eyes moved between the two, narrowing when she noticed her son was still holding the girl's hand.

"We should continue this conversation at our apartment," Naru said. He gestured slightly to the room around them. "As I'm sure you've gathered, this is the second apartment Lin rented. We'll be a little tight with seven people here, and I suppose you'd rather a sofa than to sit on the floor."

"Seven?" Martin repeated, frowning.

Sarah looked almost panicked when she realized Naru intended to include her in the resulting conversation, but the teenager spoke before she could protest. "You as well, Sarah." he said.

The young Japanese-English woman seemed surprised—Naru realized they may not have met and she probably didn't expect him to remember her even if they had. She dipped her head as she spoke for the first time, whispering an apology. "I'm sorry, Oliver, I can leave—"

"No," Naru said calmly. "I see no reason why you shouldn't be included as well."

Martin turned to Mai then, addressing her stiffly. "I'm sorry this has been rather sudden, Miss Taniyama. I'd—we'd—like to speak with our son in private. I'm sure you understand—"

"No," Naru interjected firmly. "Mai will accompany us."

"Noll—" Luella began.

"It's fine, Naru," Mai whispered. "I'll just—"

"Don't be ridiculous," Martin began.

"Noll, darling," Luella interrupted her husband smoothly, knowing, no doubt, that whatever her husband said would only incite the teen's temper. "I understand that Mai is very important to you and you want her to be involved in our family affairs—"

_No,_ Naru thought with a frown. _You don't understand. How can you?_

"—but it's not unreasonable that Martin wants to talk to you alone tonight."

"No. Mai will be included in our discussion. She is, after all, the woman I intend to marry." Naru smiled wanly. "Though still many years away I'm sure."

Mai was perhaps just as shocked at Naru's declaration as his parents. _Why, Naru_? she thought dazedly. _Why? Why are you telling them that?_

Luella inhaled sharply, clasping her hands to her mouth. The noise sounded more like a sob than a gasp. "Noll," she whispered, and tears then did form in her eyes.

"M-marry?" Martin finally sputtered, recovering from his shock. "Oliver, be serious, you're sixteen! What could you possibly— Why would you want to—" His face drained white. "Surely—surely she's not _pregnant_?" He hissed the last word as if it had left a bad taste in his mouth.

It was too much: the way Luella eyed her suspiciously and how Martin stared at her with distaste. Overcome with it all, Mai was unable to stop herself from bursting into quiet tears, hiding her face in her hand.

"No, she is not," Naru said firmly, holding Mai's other hand tightly even when she tried to pull away. He sighed again, closing his eyes and rubbing his brow with his fingers. This was going even worse than he could have imagined and he wished Gene was there to placate their parents. Gene always knew what to say. He could feel his brother's anxiety through their telepathic bond, but otherwise couldn't tell how far away he may still be. He glanced back at Mai, who had dried her tears and composed herself behind Luella's tissues, but still looked very much like she wanted to sink into the floor and disappear.

"You know me better than to think I would do something so irresponsible—"

"I _thought_," Martin interrupted. "But none of what's happened tonight really lines up with who I thought you to be, Noll." He eyed him suspiciously. "I'm still half-expecting you to laugh and admit to being Gene after all."

Naru stared at his father expressionlessly, and at that moment the boy in question burst through the door, yanking it open so quickly that Mai winced. "How could you say that?" Gene shouted at his father as he rushed past Sarah, face flushed and eyes blazing with anger.

Lin, right behind him, nearly stumbling to keep up, placed a hand on his shoulder. "Easy, Gene," he cautioned, hoping the boy wouldn't lunge at his father in his temper so he wouldn't have to intervene.

The young man was trembling. "Martin never said _anything _like this to Mai before," he continued, voice raised. "So he needs to apologize, dammit! He _should _be dropping hints about how you two need to get married already, like last time... not insulting her and getting the bloody wrong idea!"

"Last time?" Luella echoed.

Martin folded his arms across his chest defensively, frowning as he stared at his sons, his eyes darting between the two and his lips drawn in a tight line. "How can I not be getting the "wrong idea", Eugene? You seem to know enough of your brother's activities—"

"It's only because of Mai that Noll ever came out of his grief. That he ever _really _smiled again." Gene's voice shook. "And it's only because of Mai that I'm here again today. If Noll hadn't found someone to live for, if he'd never tried to use his PK like that—"

"_Aniki_," Naru said quietly, and his brother's voice trailed off mid-sentence, surprised to hear his brother use the Japanese term for _elder brother_. It was probably the only word he could use to effectively and immediately silence Gene, but it would also only heighten their parents' suspicions as well. "Stop."

The parents exchanged anxious glances. Lin sighed silently and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Mai and Sarah stood in similar positions, both pressed close to the wall and staring at the floor, the former still close to tears and the latter looking rather uncomfortable to be caught in the middle of some serious family turmoil.

Gene's eyes darted between Mai and Naru and then turned his head to meet the gaze of his bewildered parents. He exhaled loudly and his shoulders drooped in defeat. "I'm getting ahead of myself, sorry," he muttered. "Forget it." Noticing how Mai seemed close to tears, he placed his hand on her back comfortingly, seeming to relax slightly himself as he did so. He did not notice how Luella's eyes followed the gesture, but Naru did and wondered if it was better or worse that Luella could see how important Mai was to Gene. At least—he thought dryly, from where they were standing Martin probably would not have noticed the movement.

Lin also relaxed, seeing that Gene had calmed down and wasn't about to launch himself at his adopted father. "Martin, Luella, it's good to see you," he said, trying to keep his voice even and pleasant. "You should have told us you were coming."

"Lin," Martin acknowledged, giving a terse nod to the man. The three teenagers could see the barely concealed look in his eyes which clearly said something along the lines of _There had better be a good explanation for all of this_.

"We thought it would be a surprise," Luella said nervously, clutching her hands together as she glanced at her husband. "Martin wanted to see the office and we thought we could work in a day or two of sightseeing before we came back with Noll.." Her voice drifted off before beginning again, suddenly. "Oh, do you know Sarah?" She said, as if suddenly remembering the young woman standing behind her. "This is Sarah Abbott," she introduced. "She started working for Martin at SPR in the Research Department a few months ago."

Lin had nearly started in his shock when he first saw the woman who accompanied the Davis couple, but Gene's outburst had given him the time he needed to compose himself. He nodded his head in greeting to her. "Miss Abbott," he said. "Yes, I've seen you at SPR, but I don't believe we've been introduced. Nice to see you again."

"Likewise, Mr. Lin. It's nice to finally meet you." Sarah reiterated the greeting, smiling politely despite her discomfiture in the situation.

"We've met," Naru said curtly, and Sarah gave a short nod.

"_We _haven't," Gene said, looking peeved, "though I'm sure it's pretty obvious who's who by now."

Mai ignored the introduction of the twins as she watched the young woman out of the corner of her eye, careful not to stare or make her gaze too obvious. There was something in her tone or in her demeanor—something _off_. She couldn't tell what it was, exactly, but it seemed to her the woman was hiding embarrassment, embarrassment that stemmed from being addressed by Lin. Mai frowned, forgetting for a moment her own situation. She'd never met Sarah when the woman was this young, though it had only been a couple years later that the two had been introduced. Mai guessed she was still in her early twenties, though she didn't look very different from how Mai had known her: she wore her hair the same way she remembered, the curly locks falling past her shoulders in gentle waves, and she was perhaps just as or even more reserved and quiet as she had been the first time they'd met—though admittedly, that could be the circumstances. Watching the two, Mai suddenly wondered how long Sarah had secretly admired the tall Chinese man before they were married, as it was clear to her by the way she looked at him and her body language that she already had feelings for him.

"Let's go back to your apartment, then," Luella said, glancing between her husband and her sons. "I could use a cup of tea."

Martin sighed slightly in resignation. "Yes," he agreed, and gestured vaguely toward Mai. "And we should allow Miss Taniyama to return home. It's quite late, isn't it? I'm sure your parents are wondering where you are."

Naru was ready to speak in case Mai didn't want to answer, but he needn't have worried. "I live here," she said plainly. "I'm the reason Lin-san had to rent this second apartment in his name. My apartment was condemned due to an electrical fire and Lin-san was kind enough to help me get settled here. I don't have any family and the social services agency was not very understanding or accommodating. I didn't have many options available to me."

"You're an orphan?" Martin asked, raising his eyebrows only slightly. Granted, Naru thought—after the way the evening had started out he couldn't really expect Martin to be surprised anymore.

"Yes," Mai said simply. For some reason she felt like she should apologize, but apologizing for the situation would also be apologizing that her parents had died.

"When was the fire?" Martin asked, then, looking to Lin for verification.

"Several days before I arrived here in Tokyo," Lin answered.

Martin seemed to be satisfied and gave a short nod. Luella, on the other hand, gazed at Mai with a mixture of emotions on her face. Gene laid a hand on his brother's shoulder. _At least we can count on Luella to be sympathetic. Give her a few days and she'll love Mai again like her daughter._

_As to be expected, _his brother responded wryly. _Martin, however_...

_Was it really that bad? I mean, you guys still had your clothes on, right?_

Naru's eyebrow twitched in annoyance. _Of course we did, Gene, don't be preposterous_.

Gene snorted in amusement. _It's not preposterous and you know it, Noll. You guys have been dating now for what, seven, eight years? It may be _you_ we're talking about, but even I would assume you've slept together by now_—

_Gene_, his brother's voice in his head warned.

_Alright alright, I'll stop._

In their distraction, Lin had stepped outside with Sarah and had taken up the Davis' luggage, and Martin and Luella were waiting for their sons to follow. Naru turned his head and met Mai's gaze, his eyes narrowing when she dropped his hand.

"No, Naru," Mai said quietly, answering his unspoken question. "It'd probably be better for you and Gene to talk with your parents alone."

Martin frowned when he saw the younger twin lagging behind. "Oliver—"

"Perhaps tomorrow Mai can come to the office and we can meet her there?" Luella suggested.

Naru's shoulders slumped slightly in defeat. "Fine," he said shortly. "That's fine. But give me a minute here."

Martin looked as if he was about to protest but Gene had already taken his parents by their arms and was leading them out of the house. "Let's go," he said cheerfully to Martin and Luella. "It's only a short walk down the street." He turned his head, calling back to Mai. "Good night, Mai. See you tomorrow. And don't be too slow, Noll," he said in a sing-song voice. "Or we'll leave without you."

"I know the way," Naru retorted, "and I'll only be a minute." He turned toward Mai as Gene closed the door, exhaling slightly and reaching forward to take her hand again. "I'm sorry, Mai," he said softly. "I'm sorry about all of this."

Mai smiled weakly. "That was pretty bad, huh?"

His lips twitched. "It could have been worse."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. What happened wasn't your fault."

She released a sigh, squeezing his hands. "Are you going to tell them?"

"About what?"

"About.." her voice trailed off. "Everything."

"No," he shook his head. "I can't."

"They'd believe you, you know."

Naru sighed. "Maybe. But it would only make things worse."

Mai frowned. "Would it?" She looked at their hands, clasped between them. "Maybe."

There was a pause before Naru spoke again. "Don't feel bad about what happened tonight," he told her quietly. "You don't need to be embarrassed or guilty."

"How can I not?" she whispered.

He shook his head. "I know you are. But please don't... please try to let it go." His other hand reached toward her and he lifted her chin to force her to meet his calm gaze. "I don't often... perhaps I don't say it often enough," he admitted, his voice just as quiet as before. "I love you, Mai, intensely and indescribably so. Remember that. Everything else will sort itself out."

It was what she needed to hear, and Mai smiled as she felt some of the heaviness lift from her core at his words. "I love you, Naru," she whispered.

His lips twitched in a smile. "I know. Thank you."

Mai couldn't help but exhale a shaky laugh. "You'd better go," she said, giving his hands a slight squeeze before releasing them. "I'll see you tomorrow. Call me or text... whatever."

He nodded and stepped down off the raised floor, sliding his feet into his shoes. "I will." Straightening, he brushed his hair away from his eyes and met her gaze. She lifted a hand in a silent goodbye, smiling slightly and nodded, trying to feel as confident as she knew he wanted her to be.

...

When Naru stepped outside, closing the door firmly behind him, Gene had led his parents away from the house, the three waiting beneath the bare branches of the lilac tree while Lin and Sarah already stood on the street.

"It's this way." Naru said, leading the group briskly down the street. "Though I suppose you went there before you came here."

"No one was home," Luella started. "And we called Gene's mobile but he didn't pick up—"

"We were probably on the train and I didn't have a signal," Gene muttered in explanation. "Sorry. It's all because I forgot some things at the office.." His voice trailed off and he met his brother's gaze guiltily, and Naru could see he blamed himself for what happened.

_It's not your fault_, he told his brother silently.

Gene snorted aloud. _Then whose is it?_

_No one's_, he responded.

Gene sighed but said nothing and was silent for the rest of the walk.

...

"Welcome," Gene said, flipping on the lights and leading his parents inside. Lin and Sarah, close behind, set down the luggage and took off their shoes, the others following suit. "Goes without saying, but make yourselves comfortable. We've got a living room area and a combined dining room and kitchen," he gestured, crossing the living room in his socks and heading down the hallway.

"Down the hall, the bedrooms, a combined laundry bath and toilet." Gene opened the door to the extra bedroom, flipping on the light. Lin had said he had prepared it, and as to be expected of the man, the room was completely immaculate. "Looks like a hotel," he said, wrinkling his nose as he eyed the interior.

"Not everyone is as messy as you are, Gene." Naru said dryly, having followed with his parents' suitcases.

"You and Noll share a room?" Luella asked, and Gene nodded, opening the door on the opposite side of the hall.

"Here," he said, turning on the light to reveal a moderately-sized room, sparsely furnished with two single beds, identical but for the fact that one was made neatly and the other was not, and two night tables. "The other room is Lin's."

"You can use my room while you're here, Miss Abbott," Lin said, gesturing for the woman to follow him down the hall.

Sarah's eyes widened in surprise but didn't protest. "Oh, um, thank you, but what about you?"

Lin smiled ever so slightly. "The sofa will be fine."

Watching her, Gene had the same feeling that Mai had earlier, the feeling that there was something peculiar about Sarah's demeanor. He frowned as Lin led her into his bedroom, eyes narrowing slightly as he thought. Not wrong, he thought, just slightly... _off_. He couldn't tell what it was and wondered if it could be related to the woman having psychic abilities. Noll obviously knew her, though whether just from BSPR in the last few weeks or some time in the future, he didn't know.

Gene's thoughts came to an abrupt halt when his brother nudged him in the ribs, and the two followed their parents into the kitchen. Martin and Luella sat down at the table while Naru turned on the electric kettle.

"Sit down, Noll, Gene," Luella patted the table, and the twins complied without hesitation. She smiled and lifted her hand, stroking Gene's cheek gently. "It's been six weeks since I've seen you. I don't know how mothers can send their children to boarding school," she murmured, brushing his hair out of his eyes with her fingers. "Looks like you could use a haircut," she teased.

"_Mum_," Gene complained, but he didn't pull away from her hand.

"We could go to a salon tomorrow or the next so you two can get your hair trimmed together," Luella continued, smiling at Naru.

Naru shrugged, trying to keep his face neutral even though he had no desire to waste time at a salon. "We could just buy a scissors and you could do it for us."

Their mother's cheeks flushed with happiness. "You know I'd be glad to."

Lin appeared when the kettle began to boil. "I'll make tea," he said quietly.

"Where's Sarah?" Martin asked.

"She said she was tired from the flight and would turn in early," Lin said, though both he and Naru knew she would have given the family some privacy, tired from the transcontinental flight or not.

Luella nodded sympathetically. "She didn't sleep much, I think." She squeezed Gene's hand, watching as Lin took five teacups from the cupboard. "You said there's a laundry room," she said abruptly. "You wash your own clothes?"

"Of course we do," Gene said, looking hurt that she would suggest otherwise.

"Luella, Martin, would you care for some biscuits?" Lin asked.

"Please," Luella said gratefully. "Just something for a little nibble." The tall Chinese man nodded and retrieved a package from the pantry, arranging the cookies on a plate and taking them to the table.

"What about meals?" Martin asked absently as he took a biscuit, knowing his wife was more concerned about the day-to-day and they would discuss nothing else until she was satisfied.

"We eat mostly at home," Naru answered before Gene could say anything, glancing at his brother out of the corner of his eye. Now would not be a good time to clarify that over the last four weeks they'd mostly eaten meals that Mai had prepared. "Occasionally dinner or lunch at restaurants."

"I hope Lin doesn't do _all _the cooking," Luella said.

Lin smiled tersely as he brought the teacups to the table, two at a time. "Not at all. Gene and Noll have been sharing the household burdens equally." It may have been a bit of a stretch, but at least there was some truth to the statement.

"Ta," Luella said as she accepted the cup from Lin. There were only four chairs at the table, so after Lin brought tea to the twins he leaned against the kitchen counter, holding his cup loosely in his hands.

"Noll cooks more than me," Gene said, reaching for a cookie. "But he doesn't vacuum."

Naru rolled his eyes in obvious disagreement, and Luella laughed aloud. Martin seemed to relax as he sipped his tea, smiling fondly at his sons, all earlier tension disappearing.

Luella gazed at her sons with a wistful smile as she inhaled the steam from the tea. "It's hard to imagine Noll vacuuming," she admitted. "But he's always kept his room clean."

"Are we finished discussing our domestic chores?" Naru asked, frowning.

"All right then, Noll," Luella conceded. "It's just good to hear you've been taking care of yourselves. You can't fault your mother for wanting that." She sipped her tea and gazed at the younger twin with a perplexed expression on her face. "When did Mai become your girlfriend? Before or after you hired her?"

Naru let out a silent sigh of exasperation. _Should have stuck to the topic of domesticity, _Gene laughed in his mind.

He didn't bother gracing his twin with a reply. "She was an assistant first," he said, folding his arms across his chest.

Martin frowned. His sons could see him calculating in his head how long they could have been together. "How did you meet her?" he asked.

It was Gene who answered, saving his brother from having to lie to their parents. "I ran into her in the train station," he answered truthfully. "She helped me out a when I was here by myself. We became friends and I invited her along when Noll arrived." Nevermind the fact that he hadn't introduced them, but Gene hoped that's how his explanation would be taken.

His father raised an eyebrow. "And you thought she would be a good candidate for the office because of that?"

Gene shrugged. "It had to be someone that could tolerate Noll." At _tolerate_, his brother looked even more annoyed, but Gene ignored his expression and continued. "She's very intelligent and diligent. She's good with people and has an open mind to the supernatural. And she speaks English, so there's no room for misunderstanding."

Luella seemed satisfied with the answer. "You haven't been very busy at the office, then?" Martin asked, glancing at Naru and giving him an incriminating look.

Gene winced slightly at the accusatory tone, though his brother's face remained expressionless. "Only one proper case, as you know," he admitted. "But we have a consultation this coming Wednesday."

"Hmm," Martin began, lifting an eyebrow as he spoke. "What happened with the Prime Minister, then? We were right to presume that wasn't a case?"

Naru glanced at Lin, who was standing very still, his hand frozen with his teacup just below his chin. He wondered for a split second if they should try to deny it, but his brother spoke before he'd reached his conclusion.

"Oh," Gene said, turning his head and deliberately picking lint off his sleeve. "_That_. I'm afraid we burned his house down. There was something monstrous and terrible hiding inside."

Naru closed his eyes and lowered his head, his fingers catching his forehead between his eyebrows.

"You. _What_?" Martin managed, and Luella's teacup clattered against the saucer. Whatever answer their parents had been expecting, it certainly wasn't that.

"Well, it's not as if _we _burned it down," Gene corrected quickly. "That was just our advice."

"You told the Prime Minister to burn his house down?" Martin demanded incredulously.

"I had a vision," Gene justified. "A lot of people were going to die. A lot of people already had."

"We had to do something," Naru said quietly, suddenly feeling very tired. "We couldn't let any more innocent people fall victim to him."

"Oliver—" Martin began, but Luella interrupted before her husband could continue.

"Why didn't you _tell _us? Surely we could have—could have _helped _you—" she turned her gaze to Lin then. "You were probably in on this as well?"

"Yes," Lin answered honestly.

"Well thank goodness you had the sense to at least tell _someone_," Luella sighed, her eyebrows suddenly twitching together with worry when she turned her gaze back to Gene. "What did you see?"

Gene paused, considering. He'd been saved the death vision Mai had once experienced in that house, though he had some previous memories from the mansion and he'd dreamed of his brother's case the night before they'd gone there together. None of it was pleasant. "Urado's mansion," he began quietly, and shuddered slightly. He may not have dreamed of death himself, but he remembered the bathtub filled with blood, the bones stacked neatly in rows upon rows. Ghosts or spirits didn't scare him, but Urado had not been a ghost. It was the closest his brother had ever been to losing Mai and the fragile world he'd built around himself. He didn't want to think what the future would have been like if they'd been too late; if Mai had instead found the body of Hara Masako when she'd rushed in to find her friend. What would have happened to her, even if she was saved from Urado herself. "I can't tell you, Luella," he muttered. "I can't."

Martin regarded his sons quietly. "If what all you say is true, I can't say I'm not proud of you for acting to save the lives of others," he finally said. "But I wish you would have told us."

"I didn't want to worry you. I told Lin we'd already told you." Gene jerked his head toward Lin as he covered for him. "And that I'd send you the report."

"And a cleansing fire was the only way? Why—why burn the site?" Martin asked. "If Lin couldn't exorcise the spirit—"

"It wasn't a spirit," Naru said quietly. "It was a monster. Kaneyuki Miyama discovered a secret of a longer life. He extended his own by killing others."

"He'd been there a long time. Since.. since—" Gene looked to his brother for assistance.

"1877. But we didn't determine when he started killing people. Probably in the early 1900s."

"Yeah," Gene nodded. "For almost a hundred years he'd been preying on others."

"How do you know all this?"

Naru folded his arms across his chest. "We did our research, Martin."

"At least you went prepared," Luella said, exhaling a sigh and trying to relax her fingers around her teacup. The whole ordeal made her nervous. Luella knew she'd never had an inkling of clairvoyancy or any other preternatural power, but she'd developed an instinct over the years for when her sons were keeping something from her, and now was one of those times. She hoped it was just that Gene wasn't telling her the gruesome details of the vision. And if he wouldn't tell her, it had to be gruesome.

"So you determined there was something inside the house and that it had to be eliminated to save the lives of others. The objective must have been to burn it down at all costs, if you went so far to reveal your identities." He frowned between his sons. "After all, didn't I ask you not to under any circumstances? It was one of the conditions for opening this satellite office."

"Sorry—" Gene blurted, but his brother interrupted him.

"It couldn't be helped." Naru said calmly, shooting his brother a hard look to quiet him.

"It was either that or create a diversion and burn it down ourselves," Gene mumbled.

Martin laughed out loud, leaning his head back and resting it against his folded arms. "Well, I'm certainly glad you didn't do _that_, or it would have been a notice of your arrest rather than a letter of gratitude we received through the post." He shook his head. "What did you do? How did you convince the Prime Minister of all this?"

Naru hesitated, having anticipated that Martin would ask this question but still unprepared to answer. They hadn't even told Mai exactly what had transpired that day, knowing it would only cause her worry. Instead, they'd only told her simplest version: they introduced themselves and proved who they were with their unique capabilities, which granted them an audience with the Prime Minister's chief of staff. The man spoke with the Prime Minister, who reluctantly agreed to destroy the mansion after he recommended he follow their suggestion. Apparently the chief of staff had seen suspicious activity and had his own suspicions of what was going on at the house, and was all too eager to find a root of the cause.

Martin frowned, his sons' hesitation speaking for itself. "You demonstrated your abilities?" He sighed, pressing his fingers to his forehead and covering his eyes with his hand. "Noll, please do not tell me you used your PK."

"Only a little," Gene muttered. "His chief of staff wasn't completely impressed with my exhibition of clairvoyance."

"Oliver," Martin said firmly, sounding more annoyed than angry though the twins could see he was extremely displeased. "That was uncharacteristically reckless of you." He exhaled slowly, trying to compose himself. "Surely you understand why I'm disappointed."

"Yes father," Naru said quietly.

"At least Gene was there with him." Luella said, and glanced sideways at the Chinese mage leaning against the kitchen counter. "And Lin."

"It was my idea," Gene interjected quickly and Martin turned his gaze to his other son. "Noll wouldn't have done it if I hadn't said it was the only way. I'd had a vision so I knew it would work."

"Eugene," their father said, shaking his head and sighing slightly. "Do I need to remind you to exercise caution when relying on your visions?" He frowned. "You know they aren't guaranteed to be omniscient. It can be very dangerous to base actions on your visions without careful deliberation."

"That's where this is my fault." Naru conceded, folding his arms across his chest. "I didn't question Gene's judgment and was eager to conclude our business at that place. What happened in that mansion over the years was.. horrifying, to say the least."

"What's done is done, Martin," Luella finally said quietly.

"Yes," Martin finally agreed, exhaling loudly. "What's done is done. There may not be consequences for revealing yourselves so carelessly. But you realize your identities could have easily been revealed to the public and we'd have to close the office."

"Yes father," Gene said quietly, eyes lowered. "It was too hasty and reckless to reveal ourselves so quickly. I promise we won't do it again."

Martin gazed at him contemplatively. "I permitted you to come to Japan by yourself, Eugene, because I was impressed by your motivation and dedication. You demonstrated great maturity in all the preparation you put into your visit. You know your mother had reservations about a three-week stay turning into months, but I persuaded her on your behalf. Please don't betray our trust." His lips quirked a small grin. "Not only will I be very angry with you, Gene, but your mother will be quite upset with the both of us."

"Now," Luella protested. "Don't pin this all on me, Martin."

"The last thing I want is to make Luella angry," Gene promised his parents with a reassuring, angelic smile. "I'll exercise caution and listen to Lin while you and Mum aren't here."

Martin looked somewhat relieved to hear his son speak so humbly and Luella smiled. His parents gazing intently at his twin, Naru couldn't help but roll his eyes, knowing Gene would probably _intend_ to listen but that did not guarantee results.

_I saw that, Noll_.

Naru's lips twitched in a smirk. _See what?_

_You know, you can be really annoying when you put your mind to it._

_You should be proud, it's the one thing I was able to learn from you._

Luella had risen from her seat and collected the cups on the table, taking them to the sink. "I think it's time for bed," she announced.

"Yes," Martin agreed, stretching his arms behind his head. He turned when a yawn overtook his features, and Gene couldn't help but yawn after that.

They left Lin to put away the dishes in the kitchen, bidding him goodnight as they made their way down the hall. "Let us know if you need anything," Naru said. "I'm sure you're tired from your flight."

"Rather," Martin admitted.

"And of course make yourselves at home," Gene said, smiling at his parents. "Sleep well."

"Oh, Gene," Luella sighed, wrapping her arms around the boy and hugging him tightly. "Good night, dear."

"Good night, Mum."

Luella hugged both of her sons before she let them escape to their room, and Martin squeezed their shoulders gently, patting Naru's back awkwardly in what the twins took as a silent apology for how the night had started, but also a reminder that he hadn't forgotten and he could expect a thorough reprimand later.

In their room, the door closed behind them, Gene exhaled a long sigh. "Well, tonight really couldn't possibly have gone any worse," he muttered, frowning when he saw his brother was smirking. "Well, obviously it _could _have gone _much_ worse, but it sure could have gone a _lot _better." He pressed both palms against his forehead, running his fingers though his hair. Seeing his twin was still smirking he let out an exasperated huff. "What are you grinning for, you idiot?"

Naru exhaled suddenly, chuckling and shaking his head. "Of all things, I am so very grateful it was Sarah they brought with them and not Madoka. We never would have heard the end of it. She's so obnoxious about these sorts of things."

"You mean _you_ never would have heard the end of it," his brother retorted.

Naru continued, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. "Madoka wouldn't have retired early so we could talk to Martin and Luella in private, and Madoka _definitely _would have overreacted when she found out about Urado. She'd be furious with all of us for not telling her, especially Lin. I can only imagine she must be busy with an important case if they didn't bring her."

Gene began to laugh weakly. "Yeah, can you imagine if she'd been here? Thank all the lucky stars in the sky it wasn't Madoka! It would have been ten, a hundred times worse!"

...

Luella listened to the sound of muffled voices through the wall, smiling when she heard the distinctive sound of Gene's laugh.

"They've been happy here," she said quietly, pulling back the covers and sitting down on the bed. "I didn't want to let them be so far away, but it's been good for them to stretch their wings with this satellite office." She smiled sadly. "Noll likes a challenge, and Gene's probably just happy to do something _different_. I'm glad, but I can't help but hope he'll want to follow Noll back to England. I know he missed him when they were apart, even though he pretended otherwise."

"Mmm," Martin agreed with a nod, settling into the bed next to his wife. "But they can't stay together forever, Luella."

"Maybe," she said, but she didn't sound convinced. "You hear about twins having special bonds, Martin, but have you ever _seen _anything like them?" She shook her head. "The way they look at each other. They're having conversations that none of us can hear."

"It didn't use to be like that," Martin said slowly.

She nodded her agreement. "They would just talk to each other in Japanese if they didn't want to be overheard."

Martin remained quiet for some time, pondering to himself. "Maybe after this he'll finally take a serious interest in BSPR."

"Maybe, but you can't push him. The more you push the more he'll resist." Luella sighed and sank her head back into the pillow. "I'm glad Lin will stay with him. I was so nervous when he insisted he come to Japan by himself." She closed her eyes. "How can I ever say no to that boy?" She murmured to herself, and her husband didn't answer.

Luella opened her eyes and shifted to look at her husband, who was fiddling with his mobile phone and setting the alarm for the next morning. "I suppose I'm just overreacting," she began slowly. "But I can't shake the feeling that something isn't right, Martin. I think they're keeping something from us."

Martin stiffened, eyes widening with sudden apprehension. "That girl—Mai Taniyama—she couldn't possibly be—"

"No, Martin. I don't think that's it." Luella looked at her hand, turning her wedding ring nervously around her finger. "I don't think Noll would lie if Mai was actually pregnant. It's not something he could hide from us."

"True," her husband agreed. "Lin—I don't quite understand why he didn't tell us that Noll's taken interest in a girl. Probably Noll threatened him not to say anything and he didn't see any reason why not to go along with it. But I'm certain we can trust him to tell us _that_." He sighed. "I never thought we'd have to worry about these kinds of things with them." Martin gave a wan smile to his wife. "I'd rather deal with Noll's poltergeisting than have to worry about him and girls."

"It's not a bad thing he's interested in girls, Martin."

He shook his head to himself. "I suppose he _is _a teenaged boy. I don't know why this is so surprising."

"It certainly feels like it came out of the blue." Luella sighed and dropped her hands back to the soft comforter. "At least we can trust Noll to be a little more careful than Gene. He's more cautious by nature."

Martin snorted quietly. "Maybe. I'm glad we're here now, and that Noll's coming back to England with us. I'll have to make it clear to Lin that he's to keep a close eye on Gene." He frowned. "Rationalizing that they'll get married—I can only imagine he's using it as an excuse to get under that girl's skirt. I'll not have either of my sons engaging in such behavior—not _yet_, not while I can help it." He shook his head. "They're much too young for that."

Luella remained quiet, not wanting to tell her husband it was clear to her that Noll had already developed a sexual relationship with the girl. The thought made her uneasy (after all, she wondered, what parent can think about their adolescent child having intercourse without being uneasy?), but it had already happened and there was nothing she could do to go back and change it. "I don't think he's rationalizing anything, Martin. Remember when we gave them the talk when they hit puberty? Or _tried_ to." She couldn't help but smile at the memory. "He knows what boys his age are going through, but he's never understood it or felt it for himself. I don't think Noll's even once had a crush on a girl," she continued. "And he's always so serious. I suppose it makes sense that he would think they'll get married."

"It's too soon," Martin muttered, setting his mobile on the bedside table and turning off the lamp. "I don't want him to be thinking about marriage yet."

Luella bit her lip, snuggling closer to her husband in the darkness. "I want to protect him," she murmured quietly. "Noll already holds the world at an arm's length. If something doesn't work out with this girl..."

"I can't help but hope it doesn't. I'm not ready for that."

"_Martin_," she admonished. "Don't say that."

"Well, it's true," he replied gruffly. "I'm not ready to give my son up just yet."

"Yes," Luella giggled. "You're already overprotective enough of our boys. Heaven forbid they were girls, Martin, you'd never let them out of your sight."

...

The apartment was entirely quiet but for the wind that howled against the windows. The soft murmurings from his parents in the adjacent room had quieted some time ago and Lin had finished washing up in the bathroom, the light in the hall clicking off and disappearing from the crack under the door as the man retreated to the living room. Naru was nearly asleep when his brother's voice pulled him from his almost-slumber.

"Noll?"

He opened his eyes, blinking into the darkness and listening intently. "What is it?"

"It's Sarah," Gene murmured sleepily. "I think she knows."

...

* * *

A/N: So, yeah, the twins and Luella speak French but abbq does not. Many many thanks to furiouskittenn for helping me out with le français! It's not really that pertinent to the story but:

_Maintenant, mon cher frère, ce ne serait pas une disgrâce (Now, my dear brother, wouldn't that be a shame)_

_Sérieusement_, _tu sais à quel point il aurait été à Luella, tu as jamais parlé avec elle comme ça_ (Seriously, you know what it would have meant to Luella for you to speak to her like this.)

I don't think I've ever obsessed so much about a chapter before. This was almost twice/three times as long, but it seemed a convenient place to chop it off (and I have to revise/rewrite significant portions of what would have been the second half, not to mention you've all waited long enough.) I suppose at this point I've learned that I should never make promises about what's coming up in chapters, because all of _this _(gesturing above) wasn't (originally) supposed to take this long (or go this way at all, really) and the appearances I said would happen in part xiii have been put off yet again (but I'm pretty sure it'll be in the next part... pretty sure.)

You can blame Martin and Luella coming to Japan for the lateness of this chapter. They were surprisingly difficult. (Especially Martin.)

This chapter happened because of Not Hardly Charlotte and Meepyonnee; a million thanks and a metric shitton of gratitude for all of their perception, thoughts and insights, and Meepyonnee, who ended up turning into my beta, for which I am eternally grateful. I implore you to read their stories! They're vastly different writers in style and content but I adore them both very much. Plus, you'll need something to tide you over until my next update. Whenever that may be. (Hopefully not too long.)

Woah! Longest author's note ever (for me, anyway). Until next time, my friends, adieu.


	15. Part XV

_(Apologies, apologies, apologies. First for the wait, second for the length, and lastly for pretty much everything else.)_

* * *

_**Part XV**_

Mai awoke early the following morning. Rolling over to look at the clock, she groaned and covered her face with her hands. "Even if Lin-san gives me the day off, I still wake up on time," she muttered aloud to herself.

She tossed and turned on her futon before finally sighing in resignation, accepting the futility of going back to sleep and rose for the day. Despite the stress of the events from the night before and the howling wind—a sound which would usually prevent her from resting peacefully and keep her nervously awake—she'd actually slept quite soundly and felt surprisingly well-rested and optimistic to face the new day. She dressed quickly in her track suit, pulled her short hair back into messy pigtails and left the house for her morning run.

It was a cool, foggy morning; her breath steamed in the dim light. She hadn't run by herself since the previous weekend, as Lin had accompanied her every day and either matched her pace or made her match_ his_, and she thought she would have liked the feeling of running freely, alone. Lin did not often let her stop and it was somewhat satisfying to take the route at her own pace: she could slow to a walk as she pleased, whether to catch her breath or to stop to look at something she saw. Nevertheless, he found she missed the tall, quiet man's company and his silent encouragement. He was a good teacher and a good trainer. If Lin had been her P.E. instructor, she thought with a sardonic grin, she'd have liked physical education a whole lot more. She bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud as she imagined the man corralling a throng of teenaged girls and trying to get them to run laps. It wasn't a likely scenario at all.

She slowed to check the progress of the buds on the cherry trees along the river but pushed herself back into a trot not long afterwards with a sigh. No doubt the blooms of the earliest trees would begin to open within a few days, but the buds on these trees were still at least a week away, or even longer. So much for a _hanami _with Naru; he'd be back in England before the trees began to blossom appropriately. It was hard to imagine him leaving—it still seemed to her a somewhat abstract notion, though Martin and Luella's arrival made it hard to deny. She sighed again, pushing herself to run faster and as well as the thoughts from her mind.

Rounding a corner, she started and skidded in her footsteps to see Lin running evenly toward her, the tall man in his casual running clothes, though black and white as always. "Oh!" She exclaimed in surprise, unable to help herself. She smiled broadly as she greeted him. "Good morning, Lin-san."

"Good morning, Mai," he returned, slowing to a walk. "I'm a little surprised to see you out so early this morning," he said in his low voice, lips lifting in a small smile.

"Couldn't sleep," she admitted, turning to walk with him, back the way she came.

He chuckled lightly. "My apologies. I'm sure you don't appreciate my setting of your internal clock; not this morning."

"Maybe," she shrugged, sticking her hands in her sweatshirt pockets. "I didn't think I would. But it's kind of nice to be out and about already." She exhaled, watching her steamy breath drift in the air. "Sorry," she said quietly, lowering her gaze in embarrassment. "You don't need to stop. I didn't mean to interrupt you—"

"I was almost finished anyway," he said, and Mai nodded.

"Okay."

"This way," he said quietly, and Mai followed him down a side street she was unfamiliar with and after another turn onto a narrow path, laid with stones instead of pavement, the two began to ascend a hill.

They did not speak as they climbed. Lin was silent and gazed forward but Mai occasionally turned her head to look over the hedges between the houses, glimpsing the city lights visible below, shimmering in the fog. When the path evened out Lin slowed, turning to gaze at the view between the coniferous trees.

"Wow," Mai breathed. They had just come above the fog, the city quiet and shrouded below them but the sky above pale and clear.

"When it's clear you can see the Shibuya skyline," Lin said quietly. "Another time, perhaps."

"Lin-san," Mai started, hesitating and taking a breath. "Will you..." she swallowed and began again. "Will you and Sarah start seeing each other?"

The man was quiet for several moments, expressionless as he stared blankly at the cloud-covered city. Mai began to think he was not going to answer her and she was about to apologize for asking when he spoke. "I don't know," he said quietly. "I know she would acquiesce if I asked her, but I hesitate to initiate things too early." His lips curled, but it did not look like a smile to Mai. "And it would not be kind to do that when I know initially, our relationship could only be long distance."

Mai bit her lip, turning her gaze away from the man, guilt once again wrenching in her stomach. "Don't you think it would work out, even long distance?" She asked quietly. "I mean, you're... you're meant to be together—"

"No," he interrupted, "I don't. I can't assume that. Simply initiating the relationship doesn't guarantee that everything will suddenly align into the way it was before. I don't believe in soulmates, Mai. Sarah and I met and fell in love over a period of time and specific but spontaneous incidences. It's not something that can be recreated. She very well could have fallen just as much in love with someone else. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time."

Mai felt tears well in her eyes and she blinked them away. "But..."

He shook his head but still did not turn to face her. "Knowing what I know of her, perhaps I will forget to ask important, integral questions. Knowing we were once married, perhaps I will take her affection for granted."

"You wouldn't, surely," Mai said softly. "What if you told her—"

"Certainly not," he said, shaking his head again. The gesture was slight but his voice was vehement. "Even if she believed me, it'd be unfair to tell her we were once in a committed relationship. I can't put that kind of pressure on her."

Mai lowered her face and lifted her arm, resting her forehead in the crook of her elbow to hide her tears. "I'm so sorry, Lin-san."

"No, Mai," he said, turning toward her and lifting his hand to place it on her trembling shoulder. "Don't be sorry. Even if Sarah and I are not together in this future—we are where we are because Gene is alive. His life—and the other lives you, Naru and Gene have already saved—are much more important than a possible marriage."

"Aahil told me Sarah was pregnant," she mumbled, squeezing her eyes closed and feeling the tears leak into her sweatshirt.

Lin was silent for several moments. "Yes," he said quietly, grimacing. "But that's neither here nor there." He patted her shoulder gently and Mai suddenly turned, embracing the tall man around his middle.

"Lin-san, I know you say it's not my fault, but it feels like it is." She whispered. "It doesn't seem fair to take your happiness away from you."

He shook his head and patted her hair awkwardly. "There isn't such a thing as only one happiness for a person, Mai. You haven't doomed me for a life of sorrow. I was walking one road and now I am simply walking another. I assume they will intersect eventually. That's all there is to it."

"You should be angry," she mumbled.

"Perhaps," he conceded. "But I am not."

"Did Naru apologize to you?" She asked suddenly.

If her question surprised him he did not show it. "It was the very first thing he said to me," Lin said truthfully. "Both when he called me in England from Japan and when he met me at Haneda."

Mai squeezed her eyes shut, suddenly seeing the bustling and brightly lit baggage claim behind her eyes. Naru waited at one end of the room, arms crossed over his chest and completely still but for the restless tapping of an index finger against his bicep. Straightening when he saw the tall Chinese man's head above the crowd, he strode forward to meet him, ignoring the business men, foreign tourists and other travelers as he crossed the room, slowing when the two were only several paces apart. Neither had yet to speak when Naru bowed, lowering himself before the other man. It was a gesture Mai was certain she'd never seen from him before.

"Naru told me I should be angry; that he didn't understand why I was helping him." Lin's voice disrupted the vision and the figures faded away into the uneven darkness of her closed eyes. "But I told him the same thing I have told you today. I was upset—yes—but not angry." He took her shoulders gently, stepping away from her and giving her a wan smile. "I am not resigning myself to a life of solitude, Mai. I will pursue her again, in due course, but I know I have to be patient, and I recognize nothing should be taken for granted—as it should be in any relationship."

"She likes you already, you know," Mai blurted.

He lowered his gaze and smiled slightly. "I know. But I have to be cautious. We've only just met. We haven't worked together yet at SPR. She's younger than I ever really knew her," he said, his voice tinged with resignation. "She's only just moved into London to start her job at SPR; only just left her parents' house to start off on her own. I do not want to be so selfish to take this time away from her because I am lonely and impatient."

Mai bit her lip. "But... what if..."

He sighed. With the movement she noticed his shoulders grow tense, rather than relaxing. "Yes. If I wait, certainly there will be others; as there were before. She is far too pretty not to catch the eyes of men. Perhaps it would be taking a chance, but I cannot help but be optimistic that when we date she will see, as she did before, that she prefers me to the others."

"You're too selfless, Lin-san," Mai muttered. "And too mature."

"I am hardly either of those things," he scoffed. "Ultimately, Mai, I don't know what I will do. It depends on her actions and what happens over the next four days." He shook his head, signaling the conversation was at its end. "Let's go back and have a cup of tea."

...

The two walked back to the apartment together, each quiet in their own thoughts. Mai held back uneasily as Lin unlocked the door and turned on the lamp as he entered. She breathed a sigh of relief to see that the main room was empty, following him inside and bending down to unlace her sneakers. The last thing she wanted was to see Martin and Luella in the early hours in the morning when she was still sweaty and very unpresentable from her morning exercises.

"Hungry?" Lin asked quietly as he filled the kettle and took the teapot and two teacups from the cupboard soundlessly.

She frowned, tilting her head. "Shouldn't I do my breathing exercises?" She queried.

The tall man paused, reaching for the loose-leaf tea. "As you like."

She stamped her foot and folded her arms across her chest in irritation. "_You're_ my teacher, Lin-san, _you're _supposed to tell me what to do."

He chuckled softly. "And I already gave you the morning off, yet you went for a run anyway." He shook his head and set down the tea, crossing the dining room to the living room and she followed him across the carpet. "Help me move the coffee table," he said, picking up one end and gesturing for her to take the other. They moved the piece of furniture out of the way, clearing an ample space in the middle of the room. He pulled off his socks and tossed them aside, motioning for her to stand in front of him as she did the same. She mimicked his stance, standing with her bare feet slightly apart, breathing deeply and relaxing her shoulders.

"Mirror my actions," he told her. "When I raise my right hand you raise your left and vice versa. This is somewhat more complicated than what we've done this week, but the movements are slow and build on what you've already learned. It shouldn't be difficult."

Mai nodded wordlessly, and raised her right hand as Lin lifted his left. "Fingers relaxed," he began, "and lead with the palm. Inhale." She followed the slow, sweeping motion of his hand away from his body. "Exhale," he continued, raising his other hand and moving the two together. "Your right hand is pushing your left away from your body. Inhale—slowly. Concentrate on your breathing and clear your mind as we do in our breathing exercises. Focus follows the calm. With focus comes control."

She breathed deeply and repeated the motions as they dropped their hands and began again. "This time we slide our leading foot with the hand," Lin instructed, and Mai mimicked his actions as he pivoted his body gracefully, sliding into a pose that he'd taught her earlier in the week.

"We'll pause here," Lin said after several minutes, returning to the initial relaxed stance. "Close your eyes, Mai, and tell me what you feel."

"I feel very relaxed," she said, her voice calm and clear. "But I feel more alert than I've ever felt during any of our morning exercises." She paused and Lin could see, in the pulsing of her aura, that she was reaching outward with her mind. "I can feel your presence," she announced. "I can sense your psychic energy, the way we've been practicing. After only a couple repetitions."

"Good. Very good. The more you do it, the easier it will become."

"It's much brighter, today, too." Mai said clearly, her eyes still closed. "I feel like one of Naru's infrared cameras. I can see your outline, even with my eyes closed."

"Can you see anything else in the apartment?"

"Yes and no. Not really.. but at the same time, there's something..." She hesitated. "This probably sounds really strange." When Lin said nothing she continued. "There's something all around you, kind of like I can see the negative space in the apartment. It's moving, but it stops where the sofa is—" she pointed to the side "—and the lamps and the table. So, in a way, I _can _see the rest of the apartment, but at the same time, I _can't_." Lin nodded and she frowned. "What's that?" She suddenly pointed at his side, above his waist.

"In my pocket?" He smiled and took out the small onyx stone that was in his sweatshirt pocket. "I imagine this looks much different from the rest of my body."

"Oh." She sounded relieved and her face relaxed. "I dunno, for a second I was worried you had appendicitis or something."

He chuckled quietly. "There is a lot of energy stored in this stone. If it was only mine it'd be difficult for you to distinguish it from my body."

"But it's not," she prompted.

"Right. Different sources, including yourself." He nodded and tossed it to her. She caught it without opening her eyes. "Try to push some of your own energy into the stone."

Mai frowned, opening her eyes and giving him a quizzical look. "How do I do that?"

"Just try."

Closing her eyes, her frown deepened as she concentrated; imagining she held tangible psychic energy in one hand just as she held the stone in the other, and imagined the energy flowing from her palm as she closed both hands around the stone.

"That's enough," Lin said quietly, and she opened her eyes. She dropped the warm stone, realizing that she was no longer standing straight and upright, but rather in one of the poses he had taught her only several minutes before.

"That was very good," Lin said, bending to pick up the stone where it had bounced on the carpet to land near his feet. "Intuitively, you used the postures to channel energy. This is the same basic posture and technique that Naru used to fix the door."

"Did you know? That I would do it correctly?" She asked suspiciously, but he shook his head, sliding the red striped stone back into his pocket.

"Sit down, Mai, and steady your breathing with our finishing meditation exercise. I'm going to make some tea." He crossed the room, meeting the gaze of the boy who stood silently in the doorway, leaning against the frame with a pensive look on his face.

...

When Mai got up from where she'd been meditating on the carpet, she was surprised to see Naru and Lin sitting at the kitchen table, drinking tea in silence. A third steaming cup was waiting for her, and she took the teacup but did not sit down, meeting Naru's intense gaze tentatively as she lifted it to her lips.

She could see he was tired. She frowned with concern, knowing he must be truly exhausted to allow it to show on his face. His pale complexion was just slightly too pallid and his eyes did not have the intense gleam that they should. There was a faint, patchy stubble around his jaw—it was the first time in a long time that she'd seen him in the morning before he shaved, and it was evident that at sixteen any facial hair he might have would be uneven as compared to the uniform stubble she'd seen on his face in his mid-twenties.

"How do you think I'm progressing?" She finally asked quietly, setting down the empty teacup.

He shook his head. "That's a question for Lin, not for me."

"You're doing well, Mai," Lin said, "though I would rather you not worry too much about your progress."

Mai nodded, lowering her gaze, watching Naru's fingertips restless on the smooth wooden table. "I should go," she finally murmured, lifting her chin as her eyes slid toward the clock on the wall. "I don't want your parents to see me like this. I need to shower and change."

"Come back here later?" He asked quietly, reaching for her hand and surprising her with the affectionate gesture, something she never thought he would do in another's presence—at least not without a reason like the way he'd taken her hand in front of his parents the night before. There was something in his deep blue eyes which suddenly seemed vulnerable to her.

"Of course," she said, smiling lightly and squeezing his fingers before she dropped his hand. "Just call me, or text me, whatever."

Naru watched her cross the room and throw her coat over her shoulders, sliding into her shoes and slipping out the door. After Mai left, the door firmly closed behind her, he turned his gaze onto Lin, unspoken questions rising plainly in his eyes.

Lin shook his head. "I don't know, Naru," he said quietly. "Mai's abilities are still very unstable, and her progression is completely unpredictable."

"She channeled psychic energy into your stone without much instruction."

"And less than two weeks ago she made a psychic barrier." Lin turned the object in question over in his fingers, rubbing the polished surface with his thumb. "And yet I very much doubt she could do either of these things again today if she tried. Not yet. Her development has not been linear or constant in even the slightest. Since the first day, today was the first time she's been so focused during our morning sessions."

Naru turned his head when he saw Gene enter the room from the corner of his eye. His older twin passed the table for the kitchen, pouring himself the remainder of the tea into a cup before leaning against the wall, watching his brother and Lin with a bemused look on his face.

"Her abilities are unstable," Lin said flatly. "With this morning as an exception, she's been fighting against herself and her own psychic energy. Knowing what we do of the future, it may simply be that they haven't completely emerged yet. If, as you suggested, she is borrowing energy from Gene, we may just have to be patient for his abilities to awaken hers."

"What did Aahil say about her aura?" Gene suddenly asked.

The tall man shook his head. "He described it as seeds being blown by a light breeze. When I asked him about it he said he can see her psychic potential but it's difficult to see what she's actually capable of." He gestured toward Naru. "Using your own spiritual fingerprint in contrast. Aahil said he can see clearly the strength of your PK when he studies your aura."

Naru lowered his gaze as he exhaled, the sound almost a chuckle. "Seeds that could be planted, perhaps, if we want to take the analogy literally." He shook his head, reaching for his tea. "Mai needs a stimulus to activate her abilities," he said, pressing his fingers against the bridge of his nose. "The only thing I can say for certain about Mai's capabilities is that she's driven by the instinct to protect herself."

"And those around her," Gene added. "When she really needs her abilities, they've been there for her."

Naru nodded slowly, raising his eyes to meet his brother's. "Perhaps."

"Certainly, as SPR continues to take cases, an exposure to supernatural activity will prompt her abilities to awaken and grow, as it happened in the past," Lin said quietly.

"Yes," Naru conceded, but Gene could see he was not pleased with the fact. He turned his empty cup on the table, gazing at the object. "I hope that the qigong training will be an adequate foundation when her abilities have emerged completely."

Lin retrieved the stone from his pocket and placed it on the table in front of Naru as he rose to his feet. "I'm going to shower before the others awaken." With that, he turned and left the twins alone in the room.

Gene exhaled loudly and sat down at the table, resting his chin on his hand. As he did, his brother rose to his feet and stepped into the kitchen.

"I'm going to make another pot of tea," he said. "Do you want coffee?"

"Yeah," Gene said, gazing at the red onyx stone Lin had left on the table. With his free arm he reached out across the table and picked it up, turning it over in his fingers. "Heat some water up for me and I'll make some in a bit. Martin and Luella are about to join us, as well. We've got a busy day ahead of us." He leaned forward, crossing his arms in front of him and dropping his head to rest upon the limbs. "At least _you_ do. You're going to have some visitors to the office."

"Oh?" Naru raised an eyebrow. "What about you?"

"Me?" Gene smiled, closing his eyes. "No reason for us _both_ to be stuck in the office, is there? I'm going to take Luella and Sarah sightseeing, of course."

...

Naru was sipping tea at the table and Gene was measuring coffee into the cafetière press when their adoptive parents came into the dining room. "Morning, Mum," Gene said with a grin. "Morning, Dad."

"Sleep well, honey?" Luella asked, smoothing Naru's hair with her hand as she passed into the adjoining kitchen and approached Gene, squeezing his shoulder with one hand and cradling his head with the other, leaning forward and rising on her toes to kiss his temple.

"Always," Gene laughed, squirming slightly under her touch.

"Can I get you some tea or coffee, Martin?" Luella asked, and the man nodded gratefully as he sat down at the table next to Naru.

"Tea first, please, though I suppose I'll have some coffee later. I never get used to intercontinental flights, no matter how many I do," Martin said, rubbing at his eyes with his fingers. "Always feel bloody awful the next day."

Luella paused in her perusal of the kitchen cupboards, smiling at her husband sympathetically. "It only gets worse as we get older, dear."

"Shouldn't it get better? We need less sleep than you youngsters." Martin chuckled brightly, smiling his thanks as Gene crossed the room and passed him a cup of tea. "Ta, Gene."

"Yes, but we're less adaptable. More set in our ways." Luella sipped the tea that Gene gave her, smiling at her son. "What usually suits for breakfast around here?"

"Toast, or sometimes oatmeal porridge. Unless Noll or Lin make something," Gene said. "I'm easy in the morning, though."

"You've got flour in the cupboard, do you have milk and eggs? I'll make Scotch pancakes if you want," she offered.

"You've missed Shrove Tuesday by about a week," Martin reminded his wife.

"All the more reason to have pancakes, then," Luella said, not waiting for an answer from the twins as she opened the refrigerator, looking inside. "Or I could scramble up some eggs or make some omelets. What would you like, Noll?"

"I'm fine with just toast and porridge," Naru said. "But help yourself to our kitchen." He glanced at his father. "Martin?"

"Anything's fine, Lu, don't put yourself out."

"Well, nibble on some toast and I'll whip up something. I saw Lin meditating in the living room, and Sarah's still in the bath anyway." Luella brought knives and plates to the table, a pleased-looking twinkle in her eyes. "I'm glad to see you've only whole-meal bread. It's healthier than just white. I had thought maybe all bread in Japan would still be those thick, white slices you always see at the market."

"You can thank Lin for that," Gene said. "He seems to hate plain white bread."

"We actually had the most amazing bread just last week," Luella continued with a smile. "Sarah's parents run a bakery up outside of Leeds and she brought some sourdough for an SPR luncheon. Apparently she finds the time to bake all of her own bread herself, too, and she brings in muffins and biscuits to share at work. _Sometimes_ Martin even brings some home for me to try." She turned her twinkling gaze on her husband.

"I can't help it that her biscuits are popular among the staff," Martin reasoned half-heartedly as he sipped his tea.

"That's an understatement," Luella laughed, retrieving strawberry jam and orange marmalade from the refrigerator. "Keeps me trim, I guess. I suppose I needn't have worried about you eating well, the fridge didn't have nearly as many take-away containers as I feared," she teased her sons.

"Of course not," Gene laughed, rolling his eyes as his brother remained stoic and expressionless. "Let me help you make the pancakes."

"So you want pancakes, then?" Luella laughed musically.

"Not going to say no if you're offering."

She rested her hand on his shoulder gently. "How about you make me some pancakes, Gene, and I'll make you some eggs."

"Deal," Gene grinned.

"Anyone else?" Luella asked, directing her gaze back to where Martin and her other son sat at the table.

"I'll have some eggs if it's not too much trouble," Martin said, sipping his tea, glancing sidelong at his son. "Noll?"

"No thanks," Naru said shortly.

"Nothing with your pancakes, Noll?" Luella asked. "You don't have any sausage or anything in the fridge I can fry up for you?"

"Noll's completely vegetarian now, Mum." Gene said distractedly, retrieving flour from the back of the cupboard.

Martin raised an eyebrow. "Not just for cases, then? Does this stem from Lin's encouragement?"

"I made my own decision," Naru glanced at his brother in annoyance, knowing he wouldn't have been able to hide this from his parents but irritated all the same.

"Nothing wrong with being vegetarian, Martin." Luella said to her husband before turning her gaze back to Noll. "We support you in your decision, Noll. The world eats too much meat, anyway," she said with an approving nod. "Now, Gene, don't just stand there. You're going to need two bowls to mix the pancake batter."

There were two skillets heating on the stove when Lin joined the others in the kitchen, once again in his customary white collared shirt with a black tie and vest. "Good morning," he said, nodding his greeting to Martin and Luella.

"'Morning, Lin," Luella said cheerfully as she whisked eggs together in a bowl. "Hope we didn't disrupt your meditation."

Lin smiled. "Of course not," he assured her, folding over his sleeves. "I prefer a little background noise anyway." He checked the kettle before taking it to the sink to fill it.

"Ah, 'morning, Sarah," Luella called when the young woman appeared in the in the doorway. "Sit down, we'll get you a cuppa."

Gene noticed that Lin had jerked his head around a little too quickly when Luella greeted her, watching the man out of the corner of his eye as he tended the pancakes sizzling on the griddle. The peculiar expression that had crossed his face disappeared only a moment later and the man smiled pleasantly.

"Care for some coffee?" Lin asked her.

"Please," she said, smiling as she turned toward him. Her expression was bright and cheerful even though Gene could see she was nervous to be intruding on what she saw as a family gathering.

The man hesitated, glancing back toward her. She did not notice, as Gene did, Lin's unease to have assumed her preference. "Or perhaps you'd rather tea?"

"Oh, no, coffee's fine." Sarah took the chair between Naru and Martin at the table and sat down. "If it's no trouble."

"No trouble at all."

"I'll have half a cup as well, if you don't mind, Lin," Martin said.

The tall man nodded in response. "Of course."

"Better flip those pancakes," Luella reminded Gene, and the boy turned his attention back to the stove, though his lips were pressed together tightly and his eyes were eyes were narrowed in thought. "What do you think about Tokyo, Sarah?"

"You haven't, erm, been here before?" Lin asked stiffly.

Sarah shook her head. "No, this is my first time to Japan." She smiled, meeting Martin's eyes first, then Luella's. "I'm extremely grateful to have the opportunity to come here."

"We're delighted you could join us," Luella said warmly, laughing as she continued, "as far as I'm concerned you've already proved how invaluable you are. Surely we would have gotten on the wrong train out of Narita if it weren't for you."

Sarah flushed modestly, averting her eyes to the floor. "Not at all."

"It wasn't," Luella contradicted her playfully, turning toward Lin to elaborate. "The normal trains weren't running due to maintenance on the tracks. Sarah asked a station attendant which was the best train for us to take. To you I'm sure it seems simple, but we would've been lost for hours otherwise..."

The others were still talking but Gene didn't hear their conversation at all. _Noll_, he suddenly thought toward his brother. _Is Lin acting strange or am I imagining things?_

_It's not your imagination, _his brother replied as he sipped his tea. His head was turned toward Martin and Sarah's small talk, for all the world appearing to listen to their conversation though Gene knew otherwise. _Lin and Sarah were married. Before_.

Gene dropped the spatula but caught it with his other hand, giving his mother a wide, reassuring grin for his foolish behavior when she looked at him with concern. _What?_ He demanded silently.

_You didn't know?_

_I never saw anything like that._ Gene bit his lip and transferred the pancakes onto a plate before pouring fresh batter onto the pan. _I suppose that explains a lot._

_Last night_, Naru began, but hesitated and didn't continue.

_What?_ The older twin prompted.

_You said you had a feeling Sarah knew_.

Gene frowned, unsure. _Did I?_

_You don't feel that way now? _Naru queried. This was not the first time his brother had woken him up in the night with his sleepy ramblings, only to forget it the following morning.

_I don't know. _Gene paused, perplexed. _If she and Lin were married and she knew, she would have said something by now_.

But his twin was silent and didn't respond.

...

Mai had showered and changed into her nicest clothes before breakfast, a simple meal of leftover rice and miso soup. Now, she waited with a second cup of tea and an assortment of schoolwork and several old volumes of _Hana to Yume_ issues spread out in front of her on the surface of the kotatsu. When she completed her biology review homework she picked up a manga and began paging through the magazine, smiling to herself as she read. She hadn't read many comics while she was in England—occasionally she'd taken trips to the Japanese market with Luella and would pick up something or another—but she hadn't the time nor the inclination to follow the stories the way she had during her first pass at young adulthood.

She picked up her mobile as it began to ring, buzzing on the table, and didn't bother to even look who the caller was. "Hello?" She answered, turning the page of the comic she was following.

"_Good morning, Taniyama-san_," a cheerful voice said on the other end of the line. "This is Yasuhara Osamu. How are you today?"

"Y-Y-Yasuhara-san?" Mai managed, eyes growing wide and sitting up straight, the manga completely forgotten.

"You sound surprised," he said, chuckling lightly.

"I _am_ surprised," she retorted.

"Didn't look at your caller ID? Hmm, you must be expecting a call from someone else." He teased, laughing. "I won't keep you long, Taniyama-san. I just wanted to ask you about the psychic research office you work for."

"What about it?" Mai asked uneasily. "Wait—how did you know I work there?"

"Lucky guess." She could practically hear his sly, fox-like smile. "Shibuya-san said they were looking for part-time investigators, correct? I thought I'd pop in the office today and drop off my credentials. Will Shibuya-san be in?"

"Yes, he should be," Mai said slowly, though her mind was beginning to race. What were the chances that Yasuhara would visit the office the same weekend Martin and Luella arrived in Tokyo, and _would _the office even continue normal operations?

"What about you, Taniyama-san? Do you work weekends?"

"I'll probably be there today," she admitted, wondering as she spoke how Martin and Luella's arrival would affect the office. "Probably."

"Well, I hope I'll see you later. If not, take care."

"Likewise, Yasuhara-san."

Mai held the phone in her hand, staring at the object incredulously and allowing a smile to creep across her lips. After a moment's hesitation, she keyed in a short text. _Guess who just called? You really won't believe who's coming to the office today._

...

It didn't take long for the family to finish their breakfast. They'd rotated around the table as there were only four chairs; at the end of the meal it was Lin and Naru who stood, leaning against the kitchen counters. Lin was making a second round of coffee in the press while Luella continued a cheerful conversation at the table. Naru held his tea in one hand and his mobile phone in the other, reading the text Mai had just sent.

_You weren't wrong, Gene,_ he thought.

_Of course I wasn't, I'm _never _wrong_, his brother teased back. _About what?_ But Luella interrupted him before Naru could answer.

"We need to decide what we're going to do today," Luella said, leaning forward to stack some of the empty plates on the table. Sarah took her cue and rose, carrying the dirty dishes to the sink where she began to rinse them.

"Well," Martin said, lifting his arm to look at his watch. "It's just after eight o'clock—is that right?" Gene nodded his head in confirmation and Martin smiled as Lin poured him a cup of the freshly made coffee. "I suppose we should head down to the office soon. What time do you need to be there?"

"Our standard office hours are from eight on weekdays and nine on weekends." Naru said.

"But we're flexible," Gene added, rising to his feet. He took the last of the dishes from the table to Sarah and then began to fill the dishwasher for her.

Luella frowned, pursing her lips and folding her hands together in her lap. "Do you want to close the office—just for the next couple of days? We thought we'd try to do a little sightseeing as a family while we're all together—and certainly you don't want us breathing down your necks at your office." She glanced at Martin. "I know you want to see the Japanese branch office of SPR for yourself, darling, but you've read Lin's reports and there's no reason for you to spend a whole day there. Especially if you're concerned about keeping Noll and Gene's true identities under wraps. Foreign visitors are only going to draw attention."

"No," Naru said quietly. "We can't close the office. We're going to have at least one visitor to the office today who we need to greet." Seeing questioning looks from Martin, Luella and Lin, he sighed as he elaborated. "An investigator I'd like to interview said he'd come by today. I don't want to miss him."

Gene looked over his shoulder at his twin and raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

"But there's no reason you can't sightsee. I'll stay at the office," he continued briskly. "Martin, Luella—why don't you take everyone else out during the day. We can reconvene in the evening."

"What time will he be there?" Luella asked. "There's no reason for you to be there all day if he's only coming in the morning or in the afternoon."

"I don't know," Naru admitted, his voice suddenly quiet again.

"Regardless, let's head down to the office now," Martin said, removing his glasses and polishing the lenses. Replacing them on the bridge of his nose, he stood and stretched his arms. "I've got plenty of work you can help me with while we wait, and I'd like to read your report on the Prime Minister's residence. If your visitor comes in the morning, you can close the office after he leaves and we can go sightseeing as a family," he directed the last bit to Luella, who looked somewhat appeased. He then turned his gaze toward Lin. "Will we all fit in the van?"

"It'll be a bit tight," Lin admitted. "But it's designed to fit six passengers when all the seats are in place."

"I'll call Mai and let her know we'll pick her up in a couple minutes," Gene said brightly, and as if on cue, his brother tossed him his mobile phone. Martin and Luella both looked slightly surprised at this, but recovered quickly. "You said it yourself, we'll see her today at the office," he reminded them. "And if you want to go sightseeing, there's no one better than Mai to show us around."

"Of course," Luella said, smiling before her husband could disagree. "That's a marvelous idea, Gene."

...

Mai was waiting outside with her feet spread slightly apart, leaning backwards as she braced herself against the strong wind pushing against her back. It had picked up again after she returned from her run and though the warm sun and air promised spring, the wind itself was cold. She pulled her scarf up high around her neck and over her ears, though the fabric did little to stop the wind which seemed to come from everywhere all at once. She hadn't thought to take her hat when she left the house and was now wondering if she should run back inside to get it when she saw the van appear at the end of the street.

Anxiety began to grow in her stomach at seeing Martin and Luella again, nervous thoughts tumbling over and over through her mind. _Naru told them he wants to marry me. What was he thinking? They'll probably think I'm just some girl who seduced their son and the sooner they get him away from me the better_...She took a deep breath and shook her head to clear it. Thinking that way wouldn't help. She knew she needed to try not to slip into those thoughts. Smoothing her skirt nervously, she tucked her windblown hair behind her ears, only for it to be blown loose again. At least she looked presentable and professional—well, besides her hair—not that her appearance would matter if she said anything stupid. A sardonic smile flitted across her lips at the notion. _I've always been good at coming up with stupid things to say_.

They were just walking a different path this time, she reminded herself, thinking of Lin's words from earlier that morning, and there was no reason to think it wouldn't intersect with where they were before. She took another deep breath as the van approached, slowing as it neared her. They may have had a bad start, but she knew Martin didn't really mean the things he said. He couldn't have really meant it. _Just think before you speak_, she told herself, _and you'll be fine_.

The vehicle stopped in front of her and she found herself bowing to Martin in the front passenger seat before she could stop herself. The van door slid open and Gene grinned at her, holding out his hand to take her bag from her. "Good morning, Mai!"

"Good morning," Mai said, giving a short half-bow in greeting to Luella and Sarah as she met the women's eyes. "How are you today?" she asked politely. Luella, who sat on the other side of Gene, and Sarah, who sat in the back next to Naru. It was certainly the first time she'd ever seen Naru in the rear seat of the van and would have laughed had the circumstances been a little different. As it was, she simply climbed into the van and sat in the empty seat next to Gene, pulling the door closed behind her.

"Good morning, Mai. Good, thank you. And yourself?" Luella asked.

"Well, thank you." The van began to move again, gliding quietly down the street as she fastened her seatbelt. She was spared having to think of topics to fill the silence as conversation naturally started up again.

"How long of a drive to Shibuya?" Martin asked Lin in the front, though Mai didn't hear his response. Gene began to talk beside her to his mother, pointing out the landmarks along the way.

"We're coming up to the canal—we should take a walk sometime while you're here—it's really beautiful, lined with trees—I suppose they must be cherry trees—though it'll be prettier in a couple weeks when spring really arrives. Oh, do you see that up there? There's a small Shinto shrine tucked in-between those two buildings." He laughed. "You might not believe it, being so small and practically hidden behind these shops, but it's actually a very pure, sacred space. Just passing by it makes me feel calm. Oh—we're coming up to my favorite shop, they sell Blue Seal Ice Cream from Okinawa—we should get some while you're here, coconut's one of their main flavors and you can hardly ever find it back home—though I prefer the sweet potato, or maybe the banana. I even got Noll to admit to liking the black sesame—"

Mai couldn't help but smile as she listened to him talk. Gene was like an overflowing, bubbling brook, laughing easily and fluidly as he spoke and pointing out the window as he identified the most mundane details to his mother. She stole a glance backwards toward his brother behind her and saw that both he and Sarah were watching and listening to Gene. The look on Naru's face made her breath hitch in her throat and she turned forward again before either could see her watching. Evident in his expression was profound relief, but there was also tremendous sadness reflected in the depths of his deep blue eyes. It was this sadness and regret that made Mai's chest swell with sudden, overwhelming emotion and her eyes fill with tears she could not allow to fall.

_What are you blaming yourself for, Naru? Why do you still blame yourself for something that never came to pass?_

...

Lin parked the van in the remaining vacant spot in front of the building in Dogenzaka and the seven stepped out onto the sidewalk. They waited as Lin locked the doors and then followed the younger of the twins across the plaza and toward the set of stairs toward the upstairs office. The three new arrivals looked impressed at the location, Martin murmuring at the unlikelihood of such affordable real estate in the middle of Shibuya and Luella immediately noticing the cafe beneath and commenting on the convenience.

Walking behind them, Mai's gaze moved between Martin and Luella, studying the backs of their heads. Neither had made any indication yet that they would revisit her embarrassment from the night before, and while that was somewhat of a relief on one hand, it also made her more nervous on the other. What had they said to Naru when they left her apartment last night? She couldn't begin to imagine.

She frowned, nibbling on her lower lip. She _knew _them—had loved them as she'd loved her own parents, and yet—yet, they didn't know her. _Did _she know them? She couldn't keep the thought from springing in her mind. She'd known a couple that had learned to live with the grief over the loss of their son. She might have known Martin and Luella, and yet she'd never known Luella as a mother who could laugh at Gene's antics or Martin as a father that could refer to his _sons_ in the present tense, and there was something very different about those two people. The thought itself was unnerving, though at the same time she was tremendously relieved they hadn't had to experience that tragedy.

Her eyes trailed away from the older English couple, her gaze settling on Sarah. Mai knew the woman had never been to Japan before and watched as Sarah looked around, trying to take in all the details of their surroundings. In the bright morning daylight, as opposed to her dim house after dark, Mai could see that Sarah's outward appearance hadn't changed since she knew her. Her fashion seemed to be quite similar; she was wearing a cute patterned dress over leggings and a pashmina scarf draped around her neck. As to be expected, she wore boots, as Mai had never seen the woman in anything but. Her curly hair was even clipped back the way she usually wore it; parted on one side and pulled away from her face, cascading over her shoulders. In fact, it was startling—almost bizarre—how similar she was to Mai's memory.

"I'll admit we've had lunch there a couple times," Gene said in response to Luella's comments about the cafe, leading his parents up the stairs. "Probably Lin and Noll more than me since I haven't spent as much time in the office." Seeing Martin's eyebrows rise, he continued before his father could ask. "While we're here we figured we might as well try to find some new resources. I've spent a couple days visiting libraries in the area."

"Oh, yes," Martin nodded. "That's right. Lin and Noll did both mention that. I just hadn't realized quite what was entailed."

"Usually he leaves the office by mid-morning and returns late afternoon," Naru said, lifting an eyebrow at his brother. "You know how he hates to be stuck in one place all day."

"Gene, what are you going to do without Noll?" Luella asked with a smile, hooking her arm around her son's. "You'll have to run the office with Lin, you know."

"Of course," Gene said off-handedly.

"You know we can close this office anytime you'd like," Martin reminded him. "There's no obligation to keep it open."

Gene's eyes hardened slightly, almost imperceptibly so, though Luella at his side saw his jaw tighten. "Nah," he said with a laugh, his expression suddenly so light-hearted again that his mother couldn't help but wonder if she'd imagined it. "I haven't grown bored of it just yet, Martin."

Lagging behind at the back of the group, Mai pressed her lips together, suddenly very nervous again.

...

Naru unlocked the door to the office, stepping inside and switching on the overhead lights. Gene followed his brother across the room and Lin went straight to his office while Martin, Luella and Sarah stood in the entryway, looking around the main room. Mai slipped around them to her desk, placing her bag on the floor next to her chair.

"Very professional," Martin said with a pleased smile on his face.

"It does look very nice, doesn't it?" Luella agreed.

"What do you think?" Gene asked his mother, taking her arm and leading her inside the office. "Not bad, right?"

"Rather," she agreed, beaming pride in her eyes. "I like the pictures you've picked out for the walls."

"That was all me," Gene boasted. "You know how Noll couldn't care less about such a trivial thing as _decor_. Do we have your approval, Martin?" He asked with a teasing grin, flopping down on one of the sofas while his brother entered their office, shrugging off his jacket and hanging it on the coat rack inside.

"You could say that," Martin chuckled at his joking son, pausing at the reception desk where Mai was checking the voice messages on the answering machine. He glanced at the files that were stacked neatly on the side of the desk, his eyes traveling over the calendar diary she used to schedule appointments. It seemed to catch his attention, lying open on the desk, and he turned the pages back, eyes skimming over the dates. Mai flushed slightly as he looked, knowing he could not read any of the notes she had written in Japanese, but there was a three-day period the previous weekend where she'd drawn an arrow through to indicate the twins' and Lin's absence on their trip to Suwa. That single line with _Urado / Yoshimi _written beneath it in katakana suddenly looked very incriminating and she wished she hadn't written it at all.

"Now, Martin, don't snoop," Luella chastised, hanging her coat next to her son's. "Where shall we sit, Noll? On the sofas in the lounge?"

"No, come into our office." Naru gestured for them to follow her. "You too, Gene; or if we have any visitors they'll be likely to think you're a client, and I don't want to waste time by trying to explain why our lead investigator is lounging around so unprofessionally."

"I suppose that wouldn't be ideal," Gene agreed congenially, rising to his feet and following his brother into the private office. Luella walked behind Naru's desk to the window, adjusting the blinds so she could look out at the street below.

"Is that your official title?" Martin asked, turning to Gene. "Lead investigator? I thought Lin said you and Noll would share responsibility for the office."

Naru snorted as he sat down behind his desk. "Gene refused to be the manager of the office. As such, technically I'm the president, Gene's lead investigator, and Lin is an assistant investigator."

"It's easier if there's only one person to defer to," Gene reasoned with a smile. "And Noll is loads better at it than I am."

"Not that it will matter after I return to England," Naru frowned at his brother. "You'll be in charge, Gene."

"I know." He laughed then. "The first thing I'll do as president is to ask Lin to assume leadership."

"Now, Eugene, we didn't open this office for Lin—"

"I know, I know," he laughed, holding up his hands in appeasement. "I'm only joking. Though at least Lin looks the part. Noll had trouble before getting people to listen to him simply because he was still only a teenager." He smiled winningly at his parents. "You trust us because you know we're capable, but other adults don't have the same faith in mere children."

"What about Mai?" Martin asked as he sat in the chair closest to Naru's desk that Mai or Lin would usually take while sitting in the twins' office.

"She's not just a receptionist, is she?" Luella asked, coming around Naru's desk to sit in the other chair next to Gene's desk.

"No, she's an assistant, same as Lin," Gene continued. "She assists at the office and during investigations." His face lit up when the girl in question tapped on the open door, carrying a full tea tray with Sarah close behind her.

"I made some tea," she announced politely. "Naru—ah, um—" she flushed, realizing she didn't know how to address him in front of his parents, but _Naru _was probably the least strange. She certainly couldn't call him _Shibuya-san _the way she did with the clients and _Oliver _seemed too formal. "Yasuhara didn't say exactly what time he'd be in today," she continued hurriedly, moving the teacups and the teapot to the side table between the chairs where Martin and Luella sat. "But I had the impression it'd be sometime in the morning. And there were two messages on the machine," she finished, passing him the notepad she'd held under the tray.

"Thank you." Naru said with a curt nod, and Mai felt a smile grow on her lips at his verbal acknowledgement. "Could you ask Lin to prepare the employment forms?" He asked, his voice slightly quieter as he made the request. "No reason not to be ready for Yasuhara when he arrives."

"Certainly," she said, dipping her head quickly. Feeling Luella's gaze on her she felt her ears grow hot and she pressed the empty tray close against her body as if she was trying to hide behind it. "There are some errands to run so I'll step out for a bit. It won't be long. I'll be back before Yasuhara arrives."

"Shall I go with you?" Sarah suddenly asked.

The offer surprised her, but Mai smiled brightly. "Please," she said gratefully. She dipped her head again in response to Naru's dismissive nod, and with a short bow to the adults in the room, she excused herself from the room.

...

"You didn't have to come with me," Mai said to Sarah as she closed the office door behind her, smiling gratefully. "But I'm glad for your company all the same. Thank you."

"Of course," Sarah said, returning the smile as they walked down the short hall and back down the steps they'd climbed shortly before. "It's nice to be able to go out and about. I feel a little out of place at the office," she admitted quietly. "Like a third wheel. When Madoka couldn't come, Dr. Davis asked me to accompany them in her stead. But it's not like they need someone who speaks Japanese, since both Oliver and Eugene, not to mention K—Mr. Lin, are fluent." Mai caught the slight slip as Sarah was about to call Lin by his first name, but didn't have a chance to dwell on the oddness of it as Sarah smiled at her apologetically. "Not to say I'm not grateful. Sorry if I sound like I'm complaining."

Mai shook her head and waved her hands to reassure her. "No, not at all, Sarah-san."

Sarah sighed quietly as they approached the light, waiting at the crosswalk, the wind pushing against their backs and blowing Mai's hair around her face. "I'm really sorry to have put you in this situation. And... I'm really sorry about what happened last night."

Mai flushed and looked at her hands. The light changed and they followed the other pedestrians across the street to the encouraging chirping sound of the crosswalk that let them know it was safe. "It's not your fault, Sarah-san."

"No," Sarah agreed, a strange sad smile crossing her lips. "But I'm sorry all the same." The two turned the corner, the sun appearing from between the buildings of Shibuya and lighting their faces with its warmth. "_Is it okay if I call you Mai-san_?" She asked in Japanese.

"_Of course_," Mai replied, an infectious grin spreading across her features and onto Sarah's. She pointed to a small office supplies store they were approaching. "_This is our first stop_," she told her, checking Sarah's features for understanding and relaxing slightly when she saw it.

The bells on the door jingled and Mai entered the store, Sarah following her close behind. Mai hadn't asked her—and to be honest she wasn't entirely sure how it happened—but Sarah held the items for her as she picked them out, freeing her hands to check the supplies as she perused the shelves. It was nothing much: a box of paper clips, highlighters, some folders, a set of tabbed dividers and a ream of paper. The young clerk, usually simply friendly and helpful to Mai on her previous visits to the shop, was slightly more talkative than usual as he boxed up the supplies, smiling and winking at Sarah.

"Come by again soon," he called after them as they left. Mai couldn't help but laugh as the door closed behind her, seeing the embarrassed look on Sarah's face.

"Sorry," Mai giggled, waving her hand slightly. "I'm not laughing at you, just..."

"It's fine," Sarah blushed. "I'm not used to men flirting with me anymore. I didn't know how to react."

It seemed like a strange thing to say and Mai regarded her curiously, wondering if she'd misunderstood her. "What do you mean?"

"Oh..." Sarah shook her head. "Nothing."

Mai didn't press her, but glanced at her out of the corner of her eye. Thinking she saw a flicker of something behind them, she suddenly turned, stopping in her footsteps and frowning when there was nothing there.

"Mai-san?" Sarah asked.

"No, sorry... it's nothing," Mai said, hurrying slightly to catch up again with the woman.

"What other errands do you need to run?" Sarah asked her as they continued down the street.

"Umm, there's just one more office supplies store I wanted to go to," Mai said, "to get new ink cartridge for the printer." She laughed quietly. "To be honest, we don't even need ink at the office," she admitted. "But I dunno. It seems like now's a good a time as any to pick up a spare."

Sarah considered her for a moment. "Are you hungry?" She began tentatively. "Maybe we could stop for a coffee or something."

Mai found herself relaxing and grinned brightly at the other woman, whose face began to mimic her own. "I'd like that."

The two sat at a tiny table tucked in the back of the small cafe. Mai had a cup of tea and Sarah ordered coffee and a couple croissants. "This is my first time coming to Japan," Sarah told her, shrugging off her jacket onto the chair behind her and pushing the sleeves of her knit cardigan up slightly before reaching for her coffee, blowing steam off the top of her drink. "My mother grew up on Amami, but even she hasn't gone back since my grandparents passed away."

"Amami Oshima?" Mai asked, leaning forward and resting her elbows on the table. "I've always wanted to go there."

"Me, too," Sarah laughed quietly, setting her cup back on the saucer. "The pictures are really beautiful." She shrugged slightly, her gaze suddenly distant. "Someday. Maybe." She picked up a croissant with two fingers and studied its shape before tearing the end off carefully, the outer crust crumbling slightly. "Help yourself," she told Mai. "It's for you, if you want it."

"Thank you," Mai said, taking the other from the plate and biting into it. "Do you travel much?"

Sarah shook her head. "No, I've only been outside of England a handful of times, and a couple of those were just other places in the UK. Scotland and Ireland." She tilted her head side to side as she thought. "This is the furthest I've been from home. I guess the last time I went abroad was China. I went with my friend from university to visit her family. She's from Dali, in Yunnan Province. South central China."

"Oh?" Mai asked. She had a faint recollection that one of Sarah's close friends was Chinese and had been her mahjong partner before she began to play with Lin. She'd probably met her at Lin and Sarah's wedding, but the memory was hazy. She'd met a lot of people that day, the couple's extended family and friends.

"I suppose it was just... last year, that we went, for summer holidays." Sarah smiled as she remembered. "It's a really beautiful area."

"How long were you there?"

"Two months." Sarah's smile brightened as her face relaxed. "I'd go back in a heartbeat, but it wouldn't be the same. We led quite the charmed life. Working at her aunt's hostel a few days at a time and enjoying ourselves for the rest. We'd ride motorbikes around the lake and climb the mountains on our days off, or go fishing with her uncles and play mahjong with her grandparents." She smiled, tapping her fingers against her cup. "Yes, it was lovely."

"That sounds amazing," Mai breathed. "I can't help but feel a little jealous."

"I was really lucky, to be able to go." Sarah flushed slightly and took a sip of her coffee. "It seems kind of funny, looking back. Like it's not something _I_ would do. You know what I mean?"

"I do," Mai agreed. She'd felt the same way, sometimes, when she moved to London to be with Naru. "Like it falls outside of who I'd expect myself to be. Who I _used_ to expect myself to be, and now I don't know anymore."

"Exactly!" Sarah giggled, covering her mouth with her hand. "That's exactly it."

Mai laughed, too, somehow tremendously relieved to feel such an immediate rapport with the other woman, something only a day before she'd only felt with the twins and Lin. There was something to be said about speaking with another woman, an _adult _woman, which was slightly beyond the high school conversations she had with her friends at school. She supposed part of the reason they were able to speak so freely together was simply that they were sharing the same discomfiture of intruding on the Davis family circle, though the more they spoke, the more similarities she knew they would uncover between them.

"You play mahjong?" She asked her. "I think Lin-san does, but I've never played. I don't know how."

At this Sarah smiled shyly. "I'm sure he'd be happy to teach you. Perhaps we could convince Oliver or Eugene to play as well."

"I'd like that," Mai said honestly.

"What about you, Mai-san?" Sarah asked, lifting her coffee again and sipping it slowly, the steam still curling off the drink and into the air. "Oliver, yesterday, he said you'd lived in London..." Her voice trailed off slightly as if she didn't know how to continue.

"Oh, um, yes," Mai said, fingering her teacup. She hated lying, but if she said that she'd lived there in the past, in _this_ past, then there was no escaping from it. "For school," she finally said lamely. "For a little while."

"I always wanted to study abroad," Sarah said. The woman seemed to sense that Mai didn't want to talk about it and didn't force the subject. "A lot of my friends did in university." She shrugged again. "I didn't have the savings and I didn't want to ask my parents to send me. They run their own business, and cash is always a bit tight."

"What kind of business?" Mai asked, even though she already knew the answer to this question.

"A bakery," Sarah admitted as she picked apart the rest of her croissant. "My parents are both bakers."

"I wondered why it seemed like you were judging that croissant," Mai teased.

Sarah laughed. "It's a bad habit, sorry." She smiled ruefully, wiping her fingertips on the paper napkin and picking up her coffee cup. "I've been baking with my parents ever since I was young, and I really love it. I just can't imagine ever baking the way _they _do, for anyone other than myself or my family."

"Did your parents want you to bake with them? I mean, in the bakery, professionally?"

"Oh, yes." Sarah laughed lightly. "My father was devastated, at first, that I wasn't going to follow in his footsteps and keep the bakery going. But then my younger brother said he would." She laughed again. "He's a much better baker than I am, anyway. He'd rather make the perfect baguette while I'd rather just make a batch of sweet biscuits."

Mai giggled. "Do you have any other brothers or sisters?"

Sarah shook her head. "No, just me and my brother." She pursed her lips together slightly, looking at Mai with a very open look on her face. "What about you, Mai-san? What did.. your parents do, before they passed away?"

Mai looked at her tea, her fingertips caressing the porcelain gently. It had been a long time since she'd talked about her parents. It wasn't that she was ashamed of her parents' professions, and yet she was very self-conscious about it. Neither had gone to university as she had, or as she would. Knowing that Sarah's parents were also from the working class made it easier to talk about. "My father worked at the shipyard. My mom worked at a restaurant. She was a cook."

"You must be a good cook, too."

Mai laughed, her voice tinged with bitterness. "You'd think so, right? But the funny thing is, I never learned any of that from my mom at all." She picked up the teacup, gazing at the remaining liquid. "She never asked me to learn, and I was sort of the air-headed child who never thought she'd have to fend for herself. Even after my father died." She shook her head to herself.

"We're all like that," Sarah said quietly.

"Yeah." Mai sighed and drank the last of her tea, setting the teacup back down on the saucer and pushing it slightly away from her, toward the center of the table. "I suppose so."

"I'm sorry I asked. I didn't mean..."

"No, it's okay." Mai shook her head, smiling genuinely. "I'm glad you did. It was a long time ago, you know, since my parents passed away. I don't mind talking about them. It's nice, actually, to remember." Seeing that Sarah was still nervous about having offended her, she grinned and reached across the table, patting her hand with her own. "Really, Sarah-san." She flushed slightly after she did this, pulling her hand away again, but if Sarah thought the action was strange she didn't show it. "I suppose the last time I talked about my parents was when Gene asked me about them a few weeks ago. Naru asked me, too," she added quickly, afraid of sounding as if she'd talked more with Gene about them than with her boyfriend. "And if I saw their spirits after they died. Which I didn't," she added. "I only started seeing spirits after I started working for SPR. But he was afraid of making me feel like I was under his scientific observation and tried not to ask about it too much. And I think he was worried about making me upset."

Sarah smiled warmly. "He's much kinder than people give him credit for."

Mai blushed suddenly, embarrassed. "I'm talking too much, sorry."

"Not at all," Sarah reassured her, smiling. She glanced at her watch. "I suppose we should go back to the office, huh?" She said, laughing lightly. "Dr. Davis gave me a whole stack of work to complete on this trip anyway, so I'd better not put it off too long."

"What? Work on your vacation?" Mai laughed.

"It's not a vacation for me," Sarah reminded her. "Though I'm hoping Luella will let me tag along on any sightseeing trips they might want to take."

Mai nodded in agreement, and as they stepped out of the shop and onto the busy Shibuya street, her lips curled in a mischievous grin. "One more place to go to, actually," she said, gesturing for Sarah to follow her down the street. "I don't know, you might end up going here with Martin and Luella anyway, but we're so close, and it's such a classic Tokyo icon." Seeing Sarah's quizzical look she grinned. "The statue of Hachiko outside Shibuya Station. It's just around the block." She laughed. "Besides, I just realized we should get some more milk for the office. That's how the English drink their tea, right?"

After visiting the Hachiko statue, Mai took Sarah on a detour back to the office, stopping at a tiny grocer on a back alleyway for milk and then passing through some of the major urban shopping areas of Shibuya. As they walked, once again, there were a couple times Mai thought she saw something behind them out of the corner of her eye, but every time she looked it had completely disappeared.

...

Mai and Sarah were laughing together when they returned to the office. "—my brother always has the most uncanny timing," Sarah giggled, covering her mouth with her hand. "I'll call him and he'll pick up the phone before it rings, swearing he was about to call me. Just once or twice would be a coincidence, but it happens a lot. With my parents, too. I was visiting him last weekend and he picked up the phone and started dialing before he realized he was already connected to our Mum—she'd called him only seconds before."

Mai laughed aloud as she set the shopping bag on her desk. "No! Really? He doesn't have some sort of ESP?"

Sarah shrugged, passing her the ream of printer paper she'd been carrying. "I couldn't believe it."

"Oh, you're back," Gene said, looking up from where he lounged on the sofa, snapping his book shut as he straightened. Mai glanced at the two closed doors to the private offices and Gene answered her unspoken question, gesturing first toward Lin's office door. "Lin's calling the two that had left messages on the machine and Martin and Luella are looking over the Urado report." He grinned. "Well, _Martin's _reading it and Luella's trying to decide which top tourist destination we should go to first this afternoon. I'm sure when he's done he'll have lots of questions for Lin and Noll."

That explained why Gene was out in the visitor's lounge rather than in the office, Mai thought, setting the ream of paper neatly by the printer, as the twins were probably wary of contradictory statements regarding the incident and Gene had simply opted not to be present. More likely, she thought, a small grin twitching on her lips, Naru had told his brother to steer clear lest he give something away.

"They should be busy for a while. In the meantime, would you mind running to the library for me?"

"Now?" Mai asked dubiously, arranging the miscellaneous office supplies in the cabinet and nodding her thanks as Sarah took the milk to the kitchenette.

"Yeah, I thought we'd show Martin just what we've been up to." Gene grinned at her as he hopped to his feet, holding out a piece of paper for her to see. "We've put together a list. These should all be at the Shibuya Central Library, I think."

Mai reached forward and plucked it from his fingers, frowning as she considered it. "Gene, you've already _done_ these," she protested. "Haven't you?" She tapped the paper with her fingertips. "This one by Nakamura Shunji. I _know _I remember this title."

"Precisely," he supplied. "To show Martin _exactly_ what we've done. Noll's presentation, you know, must be _adequately _thorough."

Mai sighed. "Fine," she agreed. "But I wish you'd told me _before _I ran the errands. We went right by the library, you know."

Sarah had been watching the exchange and sat down on the sofa across from where Gene had been sitting, giving Mai a sympathetic look.

"_Now_," Gene said quietly in Japanese, a small smirk lifting his lips. "I thought you'd be glad for an excuse to get out of the office, away from my parents' prying eyes. And you'll be glad to hear that they were both quite impressed with your translation of those messages from the machine this morning. Luella said you could be a translator and even Martin was impressed by how professional it was."

"Should I be?" Mai muttered, sticking out her lips in a pout as she snatched up her bag again.

"It's a compliment, Mai, okay? I'm just saying—" Gene continued.

"Okay, Gene, _okay_," Mai retorted, once again speaking in English in case any of the aforementioned adults were listening. "I'm going, all right?"

"Take this too," he said, passing her another bunch of papers, folded together.

Mai gawked. "Wait, there's more? How many books do you want me to get?" She frowned at him, folding her arms across her chest. "I can't carry the entire library, you know."

"Oh, no," Gene said offhandedly. "This is just some notes on where to find the books. If I remember right from last time. Which I probably don't." He shrugged nonchalantly but he was giving her a meaningful look. "Just take a look at it when you get there, it'll help."

Mai raised an eyebrow at him and tucked it in her pocket. "Fine. I'll be back in a bit." She raised her hand in parting to Sarah. "Bye Sarah."

"See you later," Sarah called to Mai as she left, giving her an empathetic smile and Mai waved at them as she closed the door behind her.

After Mai left, Sarah picked up her satchel and retrieved some files before setting it back on the floor by her feet. Gene plopped down on the sofa across from her, watching her as she set to work.

"So, what do you do at BSPR, Sarah?" Gene asked, breaking the silence.

Sarah looked up from the papers she was reading, smiling slightly when she met his gaze. "My job description puts me in for background research and initial case planning," she responded. "Though I'll admit it's been more of the former since I've started." Her smile turned almost apologetic. "I've only been assigned to a few cases since I started a couple months ago. Lately I've been helping out in Terrance Ephraim's lab. Do you know him—Dr. Terry?"

Gene pressed his lips together and nodded. He didn't know the personnel or the workings of BSPR as well as his brother, but he knew Dr. Terry, as he was affectionately called by the entirety of the SPR staff. Dr. Terry and his father had been friends for a long time, since long before he and his brother had been adopted by the Davis couple. Like his father, Dr. Terry was fascinated by the science of the supernatural and obtaining irrefutable evidence to validate their studies, and ran one of the largest research labs at BSPR. He also knew Dr. Terry didn't have any mediums or clairvoyants in his division, as his work was the most rooted in the scientific process and not all of BSPR's employees with preternatural abilities were qualified to work within it. Dr. Terry and his lab were often considered the foundation of BSPR's science behind the study of the supernatural, but mostly Gene just knew the man as his father's best mate.

"What was your focus in school? You must have a science degree."

"Yes. Organic chemistry, molecular biology and statistical analysis."

He didn't need to pretend to be impressed. "So in other words, you're smart, huh."

"Not especially." She chuckled softly, lowering her gaze humbly.

"Who do you work under? For cases?"

She tilted her head, gesturing vaguely toward the other room. "I'm with your father's team. So far I've been included on only Stevens' cases. "

Gene nodded. Ulrich Stevens, a lead investigator. He remembered the name as another one of his father's associates, but didn't have much of an impression of the man other than the fact that he was a bit noisy at social gatherings and liked to boast about his successful cases. "You haven't worked on any cases with Madoka yet?" He asked instead.

Sarah smiled. "No, not yet. I'm looking forward to it. She has a remarkable reputation."

Gene couldn't help but grin, his eyes sparkling mischievously. "That's a delicate way of putting it."

She laughed but remained silent. Gene had the impression there was something she wanted to say and he waited, but she did not speak.

"Most investigators start their careers at BSPR as researchers," he began again, speaking slowly. "Is that something you'd like to do? Eventually?"

She shook her head without hesitation, her dark curls bouncing slightly with the movement. "I enjoy the research side of it," she said honestly. "I don't feel like I'm any less a part of the investigative team, even when I'm by myself off-site checking records at the library. It may seem strange, but I really enjoy it."

"It can get boring, after a while," Gene warned her, making a severe face that was hard for her to discern if he was joking or being serious. "You've only been at it for a couple of months. Trust me. It gets old."

She laughed again, leaning back into the sofa. "Maybe. But I don't think I'll get tired of it." Her smile seemed wistful, suddenly, and Gene narrowed his eyes when he caught the movement. "Maybe I'm being overly optimistic."

He frowned, wondering. "Do you have any psychic abilities?" He finally asked bluntly.

Sarah hesitated, looking back down at the papers in her hand. "I do," she admitted slowly, "but I don't use it. Not if I can help it."

Gene gazed at her, perplexed. "Not if you can help it?" He echoed quietly.

She smiled slightly, lifting her face again toward his. "You didn't know?" He shook his head and she tilted hers, meeting his eyes. "You can't tell?"

"Your eyes," he finally said after some consideration, frowning. "You're like Lin. One of your eyes is different from the other. It's much harder to tell, though. They're both the same color." He focusing his eyes on each of hers individually. "But there's something different about your left eye. Your psychic ability must be related to your eyes, then." When Sarah hesitated again he dropped his gaze. "I'm being nosy. Sorry."

She smiled again. "No, I don't mind." She lifted her hand to her face and covered her left eye with her fingers. "I'm blind in this eye. It's probably harder to see when we sit here, face to face, looking at each other straight-on."

"But it's not that simple, is it?"

She nodded, dropping her hand again to the sofa, her thumb rubbing against the base of her fingers above her palm. Gene narrowed his eyes again as he caught the gesture. He'd seen her do this at breakfast but hadn't paid it any mind until he saw it repeated. Nervous habit? He wondered. He would have pegged her for twisting her hair around her finger, the way he'd seen other girls with long hair do—but besides this one motion of her left hand, she sat very still without fidgeting—completely the opposite of Mai, who would be moving even when she appeared otherwise. While sitting at her desk Mai would be wiggling her toes in her shoes or bouncing her legs on the balls of her feet, and while standing she had a tendency to sway side to side on her hips, even when her feet were still.

"Right," Sarah continued, unaware that Gene had been scrutinizing her restless hand. "I'm blind in my left eye, except that's half a lie. I _can't_ see anything from it when my right eye is open. If I close my seeing eye, though, I see something else entirely." She shrugged slightly and the movement of her hand stopped. "It's usually more trouble than it's worth, though, and not very reliable. So I never do it."

"You don't see spirits like me, do you?" If she did she'd notice Lin's shiki watching her from the corners of the room if she closed her eye, he thought.

Sarah smiled and shook her head. "No, not at all. It's a bit hard to describe, but I like to refer to it as the _Probability of Intent_, but even that's not quite right."

"What does that mean?" Gene laughed, intrigued.

"Well.. It's sort of like a snapshot of a person's true nature," she said, relaxing back into the sofa and crossing her ankles. "You know how in those samurai movies they say they can sense murderous intent? It's kind of like that, except it's only visual. I don't actually _feel_ anything, but what I _see _informs me of a person's feelings and nature."

"So if a murderous samurai came in here and you looked at him with your eye—your _left_ eye only—you'd see some sort of vision of him pulling out his sword or whatever?"

"Something like that," she laughed lightly. "But people are unpredictable and act against their nature all the time. That samurai might want to kill the shogun but knows if he does he'll be killed himself. Social pressures often override true nature, which is why I call it a _probability._ It's not really useful at all, actually, and honestly is probably more of a hindrance than anything else."

"Hmm," Gene couldn't help but muse aloud. "Is that right?"

She shrugged again and looked back down at her hands clasped in her lap. The slight movement of her hand began again. "Like I said. Now that I don't have to, I don't look anymore."

"You learned how to control it?"

"No," she shook her head slowly. "When I was a kid I always saw it. Over time, I went blind in this eye. Now I only _see _if I close my right eye but keep the left open."

"That must have been difficult," Gene pondered. "To be able to see that as a kid."

"I don't remember very much of it," Sarah admitted. "But my mother has told me it was hard for me to be around adults when I was very young. It was hard to reconcile what adults thought and what they actually did, while children my age never acted against their true nature. But I was completely blind in this eye before I was a teenager, and I quickly learned not to look at people with it."

"Why are you telling me this?" Gene asked her.

She lifted her shoulders again in a shrug. "Seems like you should know, that's all."

"Does Noll?"

She paused, tapping her fingers against the papers in her lap. "I don't know," she confessed. "Probably." She turned her head when the door to Lin's office opened, the tall Chinese man emerging silently. He stopped short in his step when he saw her watching him and gave her a barely perceptible nod, hesitating before continuing on his way toward the other office where Martin, Luella, and Noll were.

"I guess it's hard to imagine Noll not knowing anything," Gene muttered, and Sarah giggled.

"Yes," she agreed. "It certainly seems that way. Oliver knows everything, doesn't he?"

Gene laughed loudly. "At least that's what he'd like people to believe."

Across the room, Lin tensed, watching the two out of the corner of his eye. Lips tightening, he raised his hand to knock on the door.

Gene waited until Lin had disappeared into the other room and closed the door behind him before he spoke again. "What about Mai? Does she know?"

Sarah looked genuinely surprised. "Mai? I don't think so. Why should she?"

He frowned. "You didn't tell her?"

"No, I didn't."

"Will you look at me?" Gene asked softly. "And tell me what you see?"

Sarah exhaled and her lips pursed together slightly. When she spoke, however, it was even and without hesitation. "No, Eugene," she refused quietly. "I don't want to do that."

He considered her. "When _do _you use it, if you won't look at people when they ask you to?"

She looked at her hands, fingering the corners of the papers now. They were beginning to curl and she stopped abruptly, raising her gaze to meet his again. She smiled suddenly, what seemed to Gene a rather sweet but firm smile, an apologetic smile he'd seen Luella use when she refused him something before. "I don't want to accidentally get a glimpse of something I shouldn't know. If you're hiding something from your parents, as Luella suspects, I don't want to get caught up in the middle. I'm sure you understand I wouldn't be comfortable lying to them."

He faltered. "They think we're hiding something?"

"Well.." her voice trailed off slightly. "I just overheard Luella say she had some suspicions."

Gene sighed and slouched forward on the chair, his elbows propped on his knees and his chin in his hands. "Thanks," he suddenly muttered, grateful that Sarah hadn't pressed the question whether or not they were actually hiding something. "I do understand."

_She knows._

He frowned. Was this what his intuition was telling him? Just that Sarah knew they were hiding something? He glanced back up at her, but she had turned her face back down toward the papers in her lap and he didn't know what to say to continue the conversation.

...

Stepping outside, Mai breathed in the brisk morning air, shaking her head sardonically to herself. She was a little ashamed of herself for her shortness with Gene. She had no reason to be annoyed, no right to show displeasure—not to Gene and not to anyone. She was anxious to interact with Martin and Luella again—granted, she also had a nervous bundle of butterflies, twisting in her stomach—but she wanted to set herself right again in their eyes, and she was impatient to prove herself to them. She wanted to see what they were thinking, wanted to be there to _see _their expressions and not to hear secondhand that Martin had been impressed with her professionalism or that Luella thought her English was decent.

She wasn't even sure herself why or what prompted her, but as she walked away from the building she turned to look back up at the office. In his window, Naru looked down at her, half hidden by the blinds. He held her gaze, motionless, for several moments before raising his hand slightly toward her.

"_Naru_," she whispered, but he had turned away and disappeared back into the room.

She sighed and let the wind push her down the street, paying no mind to her surroundings as she retraced her footsteps from less than an hour previous, mulling over what Gene had said.

Mai wasn't entirely sure how she felt about Luella's innocuous comment about her translation skills. She wouldn't consider herself a natural English speaker by any means; she was still confused by technical terms, not to mention idioms and colloquialisms (though quite honestly she'd learned more from Gene of the latter in the past few weeks than she'd picked up in several years living in London among native speakers.) Luella especially often used what seemed to her completely nonsensical sayings, splitting whistles and dividing eggs between baskets, but Mai had gotten used to this and took it in stride. Idioms didn't often translate well, she knew, and a rueful smile crossed her lips as she remembered the woman laughing when Mai had tried to explain _neko no te mo karitai_—"to borrow even a cat's paw."

Naru, on the other hand, had a tendency to speak plainly and succinctly and hardly ever used slang or euphemisms. If she didn't understand something he said—usually a scientific or a technical term—he was quick to explain it to her in Japanese. Martin seemed to forget that she was, first of all, not a native speaker and second, not a scientist like his son. The smile on her lips twitched as she recalled him once mentioning the Maillard reaction at morning tea, which, when Mai had asked tentatively for him to clarify had resulted in a long explanation of nonenzymatic browning. Naru had only laughed, enjoying himself, a lightness in his eyes that promised to explain later as he watched her from across the table. _Martin_, his wife had chastised, pouring more tea for the three. _You're only confusing her more._

But, she had to admit to herself, even if she had a long way to go to be completely fluent, she _was _only fifteen again, and had eight years of English classes in Japan behind her plus everything she'd learned abroad. If she applied herself, surely, she could eventually be fluent, even within a few years.

_If I don't end up going to London for university and working at BSPR, I suppose I could always aim to be a Japanese-English translator_, Mai thought, and shook her head again to herself, stopping at a street corner. _What am I thinking? If I don't end up working at BSPR. There's no reason to think..._

She felt Aahil's presence before she saw him and turned, meeting the spirit's gaze as he approached her.

"Taniyama-san," he nodded to her politely and fell into step beside her.

"Good morning," she began cautiously, surprised to see him.

He smiled broadly at her, sensing the source of her unease. "Not to worry, I'm visible to the people around you and you won't appear to be talking to midair."

"I haven't seen you in a while."

"I've been here and there," he shrugged ambiguously. "Around."

She frowned suddenly, remembering what Lin had said the evening before. Somehow, though only yesterday, it seemed like ages and ages ago. "Lin-san said you felt something in the spiritual plane?"

The spirit visibly hesitated and his image seemed to flicker with his indecision. "Yes," he said quietly. "Something I can't identify."

Mai pursed her lips. "Another spirit?"

He shook his head to indicate he didn't know.

"Hmm," she exhaled and crossed her arms across her chest as a particularly strong gust of wind blew her forward, her hair stinging her cheeks. She glanced sideways, studying the spirit familiar. Every time she'd seen him before Aahil had been smartly dressed and while today was no exception, there was something dimmer about him. It seemed strange to think that the spirit could be tired, but that was all she could imagine to attribute the change in his appearance. Something about him seemed weary.

"Is it okay for Lin-san to send you off to be with me? I mean..." Her voice trailed off. "I feel like you should be there with him. With Sarah," she finished lamely, suddenly embarrassed that she was implying Sarah couldn't look after herself. "I mean..."

He shrugged again, though his eyes brightened somewhat. "No, you're quite right, though you can imagine that he feels rather protective of her." His lips stretched into a wide smile. "But I am not the only one of my Master's loyal servants who can watch over her."

Mai slipped her hands together, watching her own fingers intertwine. "That must be what it was," she mused aloud. Aahil didn't prompt her to continue and she nibbled on her lower lip as she spoke her thoughts aloud. "There was that other time, too, at Kaori's school," she continued. "And today..." she shook her head as if to clear it. "That must have been it."

Again, the spirit familiar did not ask her to elaborate her thoughts, but simply continued by her side in silence as she approached the library.

Mai spoke again when they reached the immense glass facade of the Shibuya Central Library building, halting several steps away from the entrance. "Aahil," she began slowly. "How come I can see you but I can't really see Lin-san's other shiki?"

The spirit paused before answering. "I am not quite like them," he finally said. "I can only imagine that's part of the reason why."

"Are the others..." her voice trailed off as she thought of how to articulate her question. "Are they aware, like you are, of Naru's reversal in time?"

He shook his head. "Not quite in the same way, no."

"Like they don't have memories of that other time?"

"Something along those lines, yes."

She frowned again as she began to walk again. "What makes us remember, anyway?" She mumbled to herself, passing a hand over her eyes and rubbing her forehead with the back of her hand. "Naru, Lin-san and I all remembered immediately, but Lin-san said it was because he was there when Naru... when Naru did what he did. But all of Lin's shiki would have been there too, not only Aahil. And if there was anyone nearby, wouldn't they remember too?" Dropping her arm to her side, she looked up again but the shiki was gone.

...

Once inside the library, Mai took the second set of papers Gene had given her and unfolded it, slipping into a quiet corner between some bookshelves to read it. Inside was a hand-written letter, the script messy as if written quickly, scrawling haphazardly across the page.

_Sorry to send you out on this fool's errand. We thought this would be the best way to corroborate our stories, to speak freely without Martin or Luella looking over our shoulders. I think Noll's annoyed that we have to even do this, but he's pretty anxious for Martin and Luella to like you. He wants them to accept you again. I mean, obviously, I do too. You're the most important person to me, besides Noll. I told them last night that I met you first, that I introduced you to him. Noll slipped up yesterday, too, didn't he? Telling them you'd lived in London before. It'd be easiest to say it was when you were very young so that they can't press for too many details. If Martin wanted to know what primary school you'd attended or if Luella asked what neighborhood you lived in, it's believable that you wouldn't remember._

_I know Noll won't even want to talk about how you two started dating, but Luella's bound to keep pressing. When she doesn't get answers from him she'll ask me (and hopefully she'll ask you too.) If/When she does I'll tell her it was just a love-at-first-sight situation. (Don't laugh, I'm being serious.) We both know how dense Noll is, but it's only been one month since you've supposedly met._

_I've relayed this to Lin as well. We have a feeling Martin will question him for details, maybe about you, maybe not. Should Martin ask, Lin said he'll stick to this story and that he won't deviate from the truth of __this__ time. Lin can pretend not to know too much about you outside the office, too._

_I'm not comfortable with Martin knowing about your abilities and told Lin not to say anything about your qigong training. I don't even know why. But if we're mum or downplay anything you do, that's why. Don't take offense._

_- E._

Mai looked at the letter again, and her eyes drifted over where Gene had written _the most important person to me_. A pang passed through her body and she bit her lip, crumpling the paper in her hand.

...

She let her mind wander aimlessly as she found the books from Gene's list, looking them up first in the call system on the ground floor and then taking the stairs up to the quieter third, where all the books were located. Apparently Naru and Gene had extraordinary memory of the books on the list, as not only were they all located within the same two shelves, but the seven titles they'd selected were also all slim and lightweight volumes, and would all fit easily within her school bag.

Standing in the checkout line, she tried not to think about what Gene had written. She'd ripped the paper into quarters and thrown it away after she'd read it as if to forget, but the words were burned into her mind anyway. It wasn't that she was worried Gene might have more-than-platonic feelings for her or that his affection would effect her relationship with his brother, but she _did _feel uneasy about being the one to monopolize his friendship. She leaned her head back and rolled her neck on her shoulders, studying the plain ceiling above. She couldn't articulate exactly how she felt, but somehow she felt very selfish. As if she was in the way, simply by being close to him. _Didn't he say,_ she thought slowly, _when we went to Omachi, that he didn't care anymore about finding out about his grandmother? Because of Naru and I, because of our future together? He changed his mind because of something he saw. His vision; his vision of the future._

_People change their minds,_ a small voice told her.

_I know, _she argued with herself. _It's just, it's just that.._

"Next, please," the librarian called, and Mai lowered her head quickly and hurried forward with the books.

...

Gene and Naru had traded places since Mai left for the library, the younger twin reading on the sofa in the lounge across from Sarah while the older had returned to their private office, looking through the Tokyo guidebook with Luella.

"Where do you want to go today? A temple or a shrine? Maybe some gardens? I'm sure Dad would like to go to a museum or something."

"Martin and I are up for anything. We'll just try not to overlap with anything you've already done, Gene," Luella said, but he shook his head quickly.

"That doesn't matter, besides, Noll and I only went to Tokyo Tower together." Gene turned his head when he heard the office door open and close. "That'll be Mai," he said, and Martin looked up from the file he'd been reading. "We should ask her; I'm sure she'll know the best spots to visit."

Luella followed Gene into the main room, pausing when she saw Mai with her other son. He had a very relaxed look on his face, nodding and even _smiling_ slightly as the girl spoke, holding out a stack of books for him to take. "—the only book they didn't have was this one by Iwai, it was checked out by someone else," Mai told Naru, pointing to one of the titles on the list.

"That's fine," Naru said, thumbing through the first book on top of the stack. "This will be sufficient."

"Mai," Luella said, clearing her throat. It was about time, she thought, that she began to get acquainted with the girl who had obviously taken the heart of her son. "Eugene and I were looking at some sightseeing destinations, and wondered if we could ask you for your opinions."

Mai had initially looked startled to be addressed by Luella, but her face quickly relaxed into a bright smile. "I'd love to," she said honestly.

"I'll be in my office," Naru said, retreating with the books, "going over my translations with Martin." He closed the door behind him, unable to keep the small satisfied smirk from creeping over his face.

...

"What sort of sightseeing are you going to do?" Mai asked, sitting down carefully next to Sarah, suddenly nervous again as Luella sat down across from her and Gene plopped himself down on the sofa next to his mother. "There's a lot to see in Tokyo but I'm sure in four days you can see most of the top spots. Tokyo Tower might be the most famous—that's what people think of when they think of Tokyo, maybe, the same way people think of Big Ben and Buckingham Palace when they think of London. Maybe just some of the famous districts, too; Shibuya or Shinjuku or Ginza. And of course there's lots of famous shrines and temples, and all the things you find in a city; museums, restaurants, shopping..." Her voice trailed off abruptly, embarrassed of her own rambling.

"Oh," Luella said, shrugging nonchalantly, passing the guidebook to Mai across the table. "I brought this, though it's a bit dated. We bought it for our last trip over here. I don't feel too particular: I'd just like to visit a shrine or temple or two, and maybe a garden." She laughed. "Martin was excited to take the boys to some of the museums here. I made a list on the flight..." She pulled out a small piece of paper, stuck between the pages in the back of the book. "Here. Sensoji Temple makes the top of the list," she said, smiling as she passed the paper to Mai. "I know Gene's just been there a few weeks ago but he said he wouldn't mind going back."

"Asakusa Shrine and Sensoji Temple are definite must-sees," Mai agreed. "And Meiji Shrine, as well," she continued, glancing over Luella's list.

"Yes, I'm pretty sure we went to that shrine the last time we were here," Luella said. "Though it was many years ago, now."

"I love Ueno Park," Mai continued, eyes still on the list. "My friends and I go there together every once in a while."

"Mai took me there together when we first met," Gene said with an easy smile.

"Is that right?" Luella asked.

Mai nodded. "Yeah, there's a lot there. We went to the zoo." She smiled wistfully. "It might be a bit early still but I'd recommend the Hamarikyu Gardens or Happoen Gardens, and the National Garden in Shinjuku." She handed the list back to Luella. "The cherry blossoms are just about to open, but the budding and blossoming branches are really quite lovely."

...

Half an hour had passed since Naru had closed himself in his office, going over the translations with his father. Martin seemed extremely pleased with what his son had completed, pride evident in his bright, hazel eyes. "I'm astounded in what you've managed, Noll, truly. I know you and Gene both have had difficulty reading complex Japanese, and the sheer quantity of what you've tackled clearly illustrates your dedication to this project. These references will be a valuable addition to our resources at BSPR. Several of these texts pertain to what may be strictly Japanese cultural phenomena, granted, and may be quite rare in Britain—but it seems to me all the more reason to have this information available. It will be a great learning tool for my students." He chuckled lightly, eyes twinkling. "I'm already thinking about how to incorporate this into next term's coursework. Perhaps I can ask you to lead several discussions on what you've experienced here."

Naru shrugged slightly. He'd done just that, years ago, at his father's request, though his presentation would be bland in comparison if Martin wanted him to do it again now, after only being in Japan for less than a month. "It was only one case," he said shortly.

"Well, maybe so. Perhaps Gene would agree to letting you present any future cases he takes on here. I know he'd rather not do it himself." Martin said, shifting in his seat and waving his hand slightly. "But that's neither here nor there. We don't need to make any specific plans right now."

Naru nodded tersely, suddenly wondering how long Gene would have to run the satellite office of SPR in his stead. He hadn't mentioned to Martin or Luella yet that he intended to return to Japan immediately after the completion of his university schoolwork. He didn't imagine it would go over very well. No doubt Martin and Luella were waiting for Gene's "phase" of being abroad to run its course so he could return home as well. They may support them wholeheartedly—but it was obvious that Luella missed them dearly, not to mention Martin surely also had new anxieties concerning his sons and the opposite sex he'd never considered before.

"To be quite honest, I was a little surprised, Noll," Martin continued. "I don't think I would have even considered or recommended such an ambitious project." He smiled warmly. "You always surprise me, though. I shouldn't be, as you demonstrate your capabilities again and again."

Watching his father, seeing the way his eyes lit up with excitement and pride, Naru felt a twinge of what might be considered nostalgia. His father had aged a lot after Gene's death, most noticeably in his lined face and salt and pepper hair, and to see him now—younger, his brown hair with only the slightest of grays and his face light without the burdens of what had happened—filled him with relief that was difficult to explain.

Martin hesitated slightly, signaling that he was about to change the subject. "I... overreacted yesterday. I hope you'll accept my apology."

"You don't need to apologize to me," Naru said shortly, caught slightly off-guard. "I understand you were surprised to see me.. engaging in such behavior."

"Yes," Martin admitted, and laughed quietly, folding his hands in his lap. "I do trust you, Noll, but it'd be too much to ask for me to turn a blind eye to all this. I hope I can make you understand. Being with someone... isn't something to take lightly. You may think that your current feelings will never change, and maybe they won't, but you don't need to rush... rush into anything. If Mai feels the same way about you as you feel about her, certainly she'll... she'll be patient. And she'll respect your patience as well."

Naru's face slowly hardened into an expressionless mask. He did not really want to have this conversation—he was thirty-three years old and did not need to have a cautionary father-to-son discussion with Martin—but it was evident to him that it would be important to his parents, so he nodded shortly to indicate he was listening.

"I don't want to sound as if I'm... diminishing your feelings for her. Any person in a relationship would hope for the ultimate commitment from each other." Martin continued somewhat awkwardly. "To acknowledge otherwise would be counter-productive. I can't imagine many of us would end up happily married if we went into any relationship with the expectation that it would end badly. But you're both rather young to consider it seriously, and there's a lot to be taken into account. A lot can change at your age, even in a year. You both have your separate futures to consider before you can consider a future together. Mai is still in high school and you've nearly completed your second degree." He paused, gazing at his son openly. "To be quite frank, to promise marriage to each other at this point is a little premature. I'm not saying you and Mai won't stay together, and I'm not saying you won't get married eventually. But you're only sixteen and there's no need to rush your relationship. Not physically and not in any other way. Do you understand?"

"Yes. All I ask is that you try to get to know her," Naru muttered, avoiding his father's gaze. He knew this was only an unintended consequence of telling his parents of his commitment—but he'd hoped the quantifier of _many years_ _away _would have lessened the shock. Evidently he'd been wrong about that, though he still believed his decision to tell them had been correct and would ultimately make things easier between them. "I think you'll like her if you get to know her."

"It's not... that I'm opposed to liking her," Martin faltered somewhat. "I just never thought we'd come to Japan and find you'd met a girl. That there'd be a girl who could catch your interest. You never seemed interested in any girls back in England—"

"Mai's being Japanese has nothing to do with it," Naru said bitingly.

"I know," Martin said, looking down at his hands. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice tinged with regret. "I was a bit tired yesterday, and I think I... said some things I shouldn't have. I overreacted."

Naru shrugged, averting his gaze again. "I understand," he repeated quietly. "But I would appreciate it if you repeated that sentiment to Mai."

Martin nodded and patted his son on the back. "Of course. Certainly. I... I couldn't agree more." He leaned back in his chair and nodded, crossing a leg against his knee. "After your visitor this morning, I'm looking forward to spending some leisure time together with you and your brother, and Mai of course." He smiled at him fondly. "I'm sure Gene and your mum have come up with some interesting plans for us today."

Naru hesitated, remembering what Gene had said. _A busy day at the office_. Was it only Yasuhara's visit that Gene predicted? "I'd still rather not close the office today. Tomorrow I'll join you, but I wouldn't feel right to close the office without advance notice today. Saturdays tend to be busy days for us." This was partially but not exactly true. This time around, of course, Kaori had been their only Saturday visitor.

Martin nodded thoughtfully. "I suppose it's the same at BSPR," he admitted. "Very well." Closing the folder file of his son's translations, Martin rose to his feet. "I'll stay with you, Noll, but I think we'd better send Gene and Luella out. Those two will go stir-crazy if we keep them in the office all day." His lips quirked into a wide grin. "Let's go see what they've got planned."

...

Gene, Luella, Mai and Sarah were all sitting on the sofas as Martin and Naru emerged from his office. Gene and Luella sat on one sofa while Mai and Sarah on the other, the guidebook open on the table between them. It was clear all four were included in the discussion to some degree, as Sarah had evidently given up on all attempts to complete her work, the papers set aside as she listened.

"You must think us awfully unprepared," Luella laughed, rubbing her head with her index finger. "I have to confess, I didn't put too much thought into what we'd do once we arrived, just hoping Gene and Noll could guide us around. I've been so busy at school and Martin just completed an arduous case, and we really just decided to come here out of the blue."

"Mn-nm," Mai disagreed, shaking her head and standing. "Not at all," she said. Sarah also rose and followed her, crossing the room and standing by Mai's desk as the younger girl sat, retrieving a notebook from the drawer. "Here, I'll draw a map..." she said quietly to Sarah, who nodded.

"That's what we're here for, anyway," Gene said with a grin, hopping to his feet and motioning for his father to sit down next to his wife.

Luella frowned slightly. "Well, I say it was out of the blue, but we'd been talking about scheduling a trip sometime soon." She shook her head, glancing at her husband as he sat down. "Martin was very curious to know why we received a thank-you gift from the Japanese Prime Minister. I suppose that was when he decided we should come as soon as possible."

Mai paled slightly, quickly looking up to meet Naru's eyes, relaxing slightly when he gave a short nod. _They know_, the nod said. _We told them._

"I didn't realize he actually sent a _gift_," Gene said, knocking on Lin's partially-closed door with two knuckles. "Anything good?"

"I can't imagine you'd be too interested in a flower arrangement," Martin said blandly. "I don't have much taste for those sorts of things, but Lu seemed to like it."

"It was _lovely_," Luella said, an eyebrow arching slightly at her husband's comment.

"Yes," he agreed quickly. "It was rather lovely. Quite right."

"Too bad we missed it," Gene said as Lin emerged from his office, who gave him a questioning look.

"What did you determine would be the destination for today?" Their father continued smoothly.

"Sensoji Temple," Gene said. "To start. We'll see how much time we have after we get there."

Martin looked at his watch, lips lowering in a slight frown. "It's almost eleven. The potential investigator still hasn't come by.."

"I trust him to keep his word that he'd come by today," Naru said calmly, looking to Mai for verification, who bobbed her head in a quick nod.

"I'm sure he'll be here soon," Gene added.

"Perhaps after he comes you can close the office, Noll?" Luella asked, unaware that he and Martin had already decided to the contrary, and Naru shook his head.

"I'd be happy to keep the office open after Yasuhara comes by, Naru," Lin said quietly. "You and Gene are free to go—"

Gene shook his head quickly, cutting off the tall man's voice with the movement. "I really think Noll should be here as well. No offense, Lin."

"Yasuhara isn't the only one who's going to come by," Mai said softly, tracing her index finger in circles around a knot in the wood of her desk.

Everything in the room seemed to stop at Mai's innocuous statement. The only one who did not turn to face the girl was Luella, but Lin, who was facing her, could see the woman's eyebrows twitch in a quizzical look. Martin's eyes swung to Mai quickly, and Naru could feel Gene's panic as if his brother had cursed aloud. "How about I take you sightseeing," the older twin said to his parents quickly, "and Noll and Lin will stay at the office."

"I'm agreeable to us splitting up," Martin said slowly. "Though I think I'll stay in the office with Noll."

Naru leaned against the wall at Lin's doorway, watching his parents. Gene obviously wanted Martin out of the office, though once decided it was unlikely their father would change his mind.

Gene turned back toward his father. "Are you sure we can't convince you otherwise? It's been years since you've been in Tokyo and you'll be bored just sitting around here."

"Gene has a point, Martin," Luella added.

"No, I have some more work to catch up on, so I'll stay here." Martin reiterated. "Actually," he paused, glancing between Naru and back to where Mai sat, saying something quietly to Sarah and showing her something on a piece of paper, "perhaps Mai could stay with us at the office today as well."

Mai stopped mid-sentence when she heard her name, surprised.

Luella frowned, displeased, but did not say anything to contradict her husband. "Very well," she said after some pause. "Lin, Sarah, Gene and I will go out today." Lin looked slightly surprised to be included in the sightseeing group. "But you'll finish your work so you can join us tomorrow, Martin. You too, Noll, I want you and Mai to both accompany us tomorrow."

Naru did not show any emotion at this decision but simply nodded his silent acquiescence, while Mai felt a happy blush warm her cheeks to be included in Luella's plans.

"I'll keep the office open tomorrow." Lin said to Naru quietly, passing him the papers he'd been holding and slipping on his suit jacket.

"Excellent." Luella beamed at him. "Gene, you need your coat?" He nodded and went to retrieve both his own as well as his mother's, and Luella turned back to Martin. "I imagine we'll be out for lunch and most of the afternoon," she said, taking her coat from Gene and slipping it over her shoulders. "We'll ring to let you know the exact time, but I suppose we'll plan on being back here before dinnertime."

Martin nodded his agreement. "I'll have Oliver find a suitable restaurant that can accommodate us all."

Naru exhaled quietly. "Very well."

Lin crossed the room, taking Sarah's jacket from the coat rack near the door as he passed and brought it to the woman where she stood next to Mai at her desk.

"Oh," Sarah flushed and took the article, smiling at him gratefully. "Thank you."

Mai felt a knot tighten in her stomach and averted her gaze, wondering what Lin must be thinking to see the woman who was once his wife smile so radiantly at him without knowing what he did.

Lin looked down at what Mai was drawing on a sheet of paper. It seemed to be a map and he frowned slightly. "You weren't planning on coming today, were you?" He asked her quietly.

"Um," Mai blushed and hesitated, glancing up at him before turning back to the paper in front of her. "I had a feeling it might not work out. I just thought it'd be better if you had some frame of reference, just to make sure you didn't get lost. Though if both Gene and Lin-san are going, it should be okay," she added. "Gene's been to Sensoji before and I can't imagine Lin-san _ever_ getting lost."

"It happens," Lin said wryly, and Sarah giggled into her hand.

Mai tapped the paper with the blunt end of her pencil. "This main intersection, right?" She said, directing her voice at Sarah, and turning the pencil around, drew a line across the page. "A few blocks up—on that street that's parallel to the river—is that restaurant Luella was interested in. So if you decide to go there, it's just three, maybe four blocks away." She drew several additional cross streets. "The main arcade of shops is around here, but it's perpendicular to those side-streets."

"Thank you," Sarah said. "Seems pretty straightforward."

"Yeah, it's a little out of the way, but the book said _without a doubt_ the best lunch spot in Asakusa." She smiled. "Of course, there's plenty of other spots nearby, and I'm sure they're all fine." She tapped her lip thoughtfully with her index finger. "Actually, I think there's a rotating sushi place around there somewhere, too... Gene might want to go there. He was saying the other day how he's never gone to one before."

"Me neither," Sarah confessed.

"Really? Maybe you should go there instead," Mai laughed. "_Kaitenzushi_. It's kind of fun."

...

After Gene, Lin, Luella and Sarah had left, the office drifted again into heavy silence. Mai tidied first the lounge and then the rest of the main office, then dried and put away the teacups that had been washed earlier in the kitchen. Returning to the main office, she flopped down in her chair and pulled herself toward her desk. Opening the calendar, she gazed at the empty page blankly. Until Yasuhara came for his appointment she didn't have anything to do. She'd finished the notes and filing Naru had asked her to complete the day prior, though honestly there hadn't even been that much to keep her occupied yesterday, either. Naru clearly wanted her to concentrate on her studies and was hesitant to give her too much work, though at a time like this Mai wished she had something, _anything _she could plough through to keep her hands busy. She couldn't even quell her idleness with organizing the files or bookshelves as she once might have, as the office didn't yet see enough use to become disorganized. That left her to either her schoolwork, which she didn't feel comfortable doing when Martin could come out of Naru's office at any moment and see her _not working_, or she could make something up to do.

Mai blew her bangs away from her face and twiddled her fingers, turning her gaze to the bookshelf. Naru _had_ told her he'd like her to work her way through several of what he'd deemed useful references, but she hadn't thought she'd be starting so soon, nor did she especially want to. _Seriously, where is Yasuhara? _she wondered.

Mai frowned and glanced toward the clock on the wall, watching the minute hand tick slowly past the four and toward the five. When it approached the eight she realized she'd been staring and shook herself and hopped to her feet. _Time to make some tea._

...

Martin looked up from his papers when she knocked gently at the door. "Dr. Davis, I'm going to make some tea, would you care for some?" Mai asked.

"Thank you, that would be lovely," he said, and Mai smiled slightly before disappearing. He glanced at his son, noticing that the young man had neither acknowledged Mai's intrusion nor had the girl asked him if he'd care for any, but several minutes later she reappeared in the door, rapping on the wood once to announce her presence before entering as she had the first time she'd entered the office that morning, a tray of steaming teacups balanced on one hand.

"Thank you," Martin said as he accepted the tea and watched carefully as Mai took the second cup to Naru at his desk. He looked up from his reading as Mai placed the cup at his hand, his eyes meeting hers purposefully, but he remained silent.

Mai retreated from the room, closing the door behind her. Martin lifted the cup to his lips, inhaling the steam before taking a sip. "This is quite good," he remarked, watching his son surreptitiously out of the corner of his gaze.

"Yes," Naru agreed simply, reaching for his own cup. "It is."

...

Mai had just taken her teacup to her desk from the kitchenette when the door opened and a cheerful Yasuhara appeared. "Good morning, Taniyama-san," he said brightly. "Nice to see you. You know I'm here to see Shibuya-san, but I don't suppose I could ask you a few questions first?"

"By all means," Mai said, wondering what the boy had in mind. She gestured toward the sofa. "Please sit down. Would you like a cup of tea?"

His smile widened. "Thank you, that would be most appreciated."

It seemed fortuitous that she'd just made the tea and Mai poured a second cup, tilting her head slightly as she allowed herself to ponder the lucky coincidence. She watched as Yasuhara sat down at the sofa, studying the interior of the office. His eyes seemed to be held by one of the prints Gene had framed on the wall in particular, and he gazed at the image as Mai brought the two cups of tea to the sofa, passing him one and sitting down across from him.

"What can I do for you, Yasuhara-san?"

Yasuhara turned his head as he focused his attention upon her. "Ah, well, I suppose I should first thank you for providing me with Murata Kaori's phone number—it certainly wasn't something you had to help me with, but I'm glad that you did." He smiled as he pushed his sliding glasses up his nose. "Even if she did, in the end, turn me down."

Mai looked at him quizzically, picking up her teacup. "What do you mean?"

"She accepted my offer for a couple dates, but yesterday told me she'd be too busy with her studies to meet again for a while." He sighed somewhat dramatically. "She broke my heart very easily, Murata Kaori."

Mai couldn't decide whether to be surprised or relieved. Yasuhara laughed when he saw her conflicted expression. "Why didn't you want me to see her?" He suddenly pressed, leaning forward and gazing at her seriously over the top of his thin glasses. "She must have a terrible secret. Related to the dead sister you were investigating?"

"W-what? No!" Mai sat up very straight against the sofa cushions, distancing herself from the boy and his prying eyes as much as possible. "Why do you think we were investigating her sister?" She protested, flustered.

Yasuhara shrugged, setting the teacup back on the table and folding his hands together in his lap. "I did a little research. The school administration granted special permission for two visiting students, and yet the staff and students seemed to think they were regular transfers. Imagine their surprise when you left after only two days. Not to mention you only spoke to Kaori while you were there, and there were rumors about her sister's ghost." He gestured around them vaguely. "Psychic research office. It's not that hard to connect the dots."

Mai looked away, feeling an embarrassed flush creep up her cheeks to have been so easily found out. "It wasn't her sister," she muttered, feeling annoyed.

"Not bad," Naru said, appearing in the doorway. He smirked as he crossed the room, folding his arms across his chest as he regarded Yasuhara evenly. "You made Mai blush after only three minutes."

"_Naru_," Mai hissed angrily, her blush intensifying.

"Shibuya-san, it's nice to see you." Yasuhara smiled as he stood, producing a sheet of paper and passing it to the other boy. "I'm here to inquire about work. You mentioned your office is looking for part-time investigators and I'd like to offer my credentials for your review."

"Why should I hire you?" Naru asked as he looked over the paper, sitting down on the sofa next to Mai. She wondered if his nonchalance was seen as boredom by Yasuhara, but she knew, under that mask of composure, that Naru was eager to engage with the other boy. After all, he'd come out of his office to greet him.

"Because I'm very good at what I do." Yasuhara smiled and adjusted his glasses as he returned to his seat. "For instance..." he looked between them, eyes narrowing slightly. "It wasn't tremendously difficult to uncover the fact that you are using an assumed name."

Mai paled at this second revelation, but Naru simply smirked. "What makes you think that?"

Yasuhara shrugged, watching Mai out of the corner of his eye. "For starters, it was a Shibuya Ichirou who enrolled at Murata-san's school in Arakawa, and yet you introduced yourself to me as Shibuya Kazuya."

"That doesn't necessarily mean anything."

"No," Yasuhara agreed. "Though you fit the description of Ichirou perfectly, so unless you have an identical twin..."

Naru's expression changed ever so slightly, his smirk widening. Mai suddenly had the feeling he was trying not to laugh. "Go on. I'm sure there's more on which you've based this assumption."

"A business in Shibuya run by a Shibuya caught my attention," Yasuhara continued, nodding. "Though to be honest I may not have thought twice of it if I wasn't already wondering which was your real name, Kazuya or Ichirou. My uncle actually works at the Shibuya Ward Taxation Department, so I asked him if he would look up your business, but there wasn't one in the database of registered businesses. Not Shibuya Psychic Research and not SPR." He raised an eyebrow at Naru. "Imagine my surprise when my uncle told me he finally found it listed as BSPR, an affiliation of some company from overseas."

Naru nodded slightly. "Yet the fact that our parent company is not a Japanese company has nothing to do with my name."

"Perhaps not," Yasuhara conceded. "Though I was able to determine that no one by the name of Shibuya had ever worked at BSPR, the British Society for Psychic Research, and it seemed rather strange that the affiliated office would be run by someone unassociated with the parent company."

"Interesting," Naru mused.

Yasuhara smiled and lifted his shoulders in a slight shrug. "Of course, you never know. Shibuya isn't a terribly common family name. On a whim, I searched for any records in the Public Archives concerning a Shibuya Kazuya or a Shibuya Ichirou. I'll admit that the fact that nothing came up isn't too surprising, as I have no reason to assume you were born in Tokyo. From there it was only natural to look in the Tokyo phone book for any number listed for the name Shibuya." He leaned back against the sofa, propping a hand against his head. "I only needed to make a few calls to determine that it doesn't seem you're related to anyone in the area."

"True," Naru admitted. "Though that still wouldn't suggest that this isn't my true name."

"No," Yasuhara agreed. "It doesn't. That in itself is innocuous, but combined with what I'd already determined, made it seem even more likely that you were from England and that Shibuya was not your true name." He shrugged again. "It makes sense, in a way. You're likely to arouse suspicion if a new business opens—especially one in such a peculiar line of work—and is run by a foreigner." He laughed lightly when he saw Naru's stoic expression, taking him to be unconvinced. "I thought I'd take a gamble and make the assumption." He grinned slyly, glancing at Mai. "Your assistant gives you away, Shibuya-san."

Naru's smirk widened. "Consider yourself hired, Yasuhara-san."

...

"Is it okay?" Mai asked Naru softly, still speaking in Japanese. After filling out some paperwork, Yasuhara had left several minutes ago and Naru had yet to return to his private office. "If he knows you're not using your real name and already suspects you're British, he'll eventually figure out everything else all over again." She bit her lip. "When Yasuhara meets Gene and realizes you're twins, surely..."

Naru shrugged, leaning against her desk. "They will all eventually know I am Oliver Davis. I don't intend to keep it a secret." His lips curled in a wry smile. "Just don't tell my father that yet. He very much does not want anyone in this country to know the truth." Seeing that the man in question was coming out of his office, his smile relaxed and he took her hand purposefully. Mai blushed fiercely, realizing Martin had witnessed the action, but as suddenly as he'd taken her hand he released it again. He straightened and turned, meeting his father's gaze who was watching him intently.

"Did the interview go well with the potential investigator?" Martin inquired.

"Yes," Naru's lips curved upwards in a slight smirk. "Very well, in fact."

Martin looked at his watch, eyes widening in surprise as he saw the time. "Goodness, it's already noon. I suppose it's time for lunch? Shall we go down to the cafe downstairs?" He turned toward Mai, smiling kindly. "Unless there's somewhere you'd rather go, Mai."

"O-oh," Mai stammered, surprised. She was undoubtedly nervous around Martin and that he'd seen his son take her hand in what seemed a very intimate gesture made her even more so and her behavior unnatural. "No, the cafe is quite all right by me."

"Noll?" Martin turned his head back to his son, who nodded to show his agreement. Martin's smile widened. "I'll get my jacket."

...

The main advantage, Gene thought, of having Lin come along on their sightseeing trip was probably so that they could drive, rather than taking the train or a cab, and he wondered if this was why Luella had invited the man when clearly it made more sense for him to stay at the office with his brother and Martin. On top of the difficulties of finding parking near such a major tourist attraction, the clearest disadvantage was having to watch Lin interact—or purposefully _not_ interact—with the woman to whom he was once married. Luella had asked Sarah to sit in front and Lin was silent and unnaturally rigid, which Gene might have missed if it weren't for the onmyouji's shiki. Lin hid his unease well, but his shiki were clearly aware of his true feelings as they were just as tense. The anxious spirits, hovering around the group, made Gene nervous enough that he felt a little queasy, and the close confines of the vehicle wasn't helping.

"Carsick?" Luella asked, noticing he was quiet and reaching toward him to touch his shoulder gently. From the front, Sarah turned her head, looking at Gene sympathetically.

"Something like that," he mumbled. "I just need a little fresh air."

"How far from here?" Luella asked Lin, leaning toward the driver.

"I'll park the van here," Lin said, pulling the vehicle over to the side of the street and setting the gears to park. "I doubt we'll find a closer spot, though we're still several blocks away from Sensoji."

"This is fine," Gene said, sliding the door open and stumbling slightly as he hurried outside. Now that the vehicle had stopped, the restless shiki retreated somewhat further away, and Gene took a deep breath, inhaling the cool spring air and clearing his mind.

"Are you okay?" Luella asked, and he nodded quickly.

"Yeah, I'm fine, sorry." He gestured vaguely in the direction down the street. "This way," he said, and they began to walk.

They came to the main street and followed the signs toward the temple, Luella and Sarah walking together and Gene and Lin following close behind. "Which way?" Luella asked as they came to an intersection, and both Gene and Lin were content to remain silent as Sarah led the woman toward their destination.

"It was my shiki, wasn't it?" Lin asked Gene lowly, so quiet that they didn't have to worry about the two women overhearing.

"Um," Gene said, slightly distractedly. "Not.. not exactly."

Lin pursed his lips and was about to respond when Luella turned, grinning at the men with a wide smile. "We're here!"

...

Lunch together with Martin and Mai was not as awkward as Naru had feared it could have been. Mai was undoubtedly nervous at first, and even more so when Martin apologized to her if he'd come across as rather rude the day before. At his apology she flushed and stammered and looked at her hands, but they'd soon settled into an easy conversation in which both were comfortable. Mai asked questions about Martin's work, and of course he was more than happy to talk about his research.

Listening to Martin go over some bland detail of the inner workings of BSPR, Naru was relieved that his father was no longer suspicious of her, but he had conflicting emotions regarding the fact that his father wasn't asking Mai questions about herself. If he didn't ask questions then Mai didn't have to lie and he didn't have to relay back to Gene what their story was. But on the other hand, that also meant Martin wasn't engaging with Mai the way he had before—the way he _should_.

Naru frowned into his tea, remembering how Martin and Luella had treated Mai very differently the first time they'd met her. How they'd asked her too many questions when her English was still a bit rough around the edges, bombarded her with conversation as they'd tried to learn everything about their new house guest. How Luella had only cooked foods for their dinners for a month she was certain Mai would enjoy until Naru patiently reminded her that _yes_ Mai ate bread and potatoes and rump roast just like everyone else, and certainly she'd be more than happy to try new English foods she'd never had before. (And how Luella made Beef Wellington and Yorkshire pudding the following evening, much to Mai's delight.) Martin clearly enjoyed asking Mai about the cases she'd taken with SPR, and as Mai recounted case after case, she'd grown confident with her vocabulary of their field. His parents both took very different routes to welcome her into their home, but ultimately they'd both done everything in their power to make Mai comfortable and happy.

What could they do to return to that stage, Naru mused to himself, or would it be a foolish endeavor to even try? He shook his head to himself, and Mai, catching the movement, gave him a quizzical look. _Nothing_, he mouthed, but she didn't look entirely convinced.

...

They'd walked around the temple grounds for well over an hour before they finally made it to the rotating sushi restaurant. It was a lively and popular spot, the staff calling out _Welcome! _and _Thank you very much! _as the customers came and went. The four sat at the counter, watching the different colored plates move slowly around the conveyer belt and the two chefs who worked quickly and efficiently inside, replenishing the plates as they were removed by the customers.

"_Tu as une faim de loup_," Luella laughed as Gene took two plates right away. "_Mon petit chou."_

Gene felt the tips of his ears warm at the affectionate nickname. "You haven't called me that in _ages_," he remarked, fishing a set of chopsticks out of the container on the countertop.

"Haven't I? Hmm," she sighed and squeezed his shoulder. "Maybe not." She turned to Sarah, who sat on the other side of her. "Help yourself, dear, please."

Gene glanced to the side, watching as Sarah asked Lin a question—presumably about the plate she was about to take—and how Lin had smiled in response, answering her question and lips twitching in a smile. It was a relief to see Lin acting less nervous around Sarah. Walking around Sensoji together had been just the thing to set the man at ease. He shook his head to himself slightly as he lifted the lid on the pickled ginger and took a generous portion with his chopsticks. _What am I, playing matchmaker?_ He scoffed at himself. Though seeing the two of them together felt comfortable; it felt _right _somehow.

"Must be something I remember from before," he murmured to himself.

"What's that, Gene?" Luella asked, and he shook his head again.

"Nothing." He grinned at his mother, reaching forward and taking a third plate, passing it to her. "Try this one, you'll like it." Knowing Luella was curious as to what he'd just handed to her, he elaborated. "It looks like _unagi_," Gene told her. "Eel."

"Looks delicious," she said, snapping apart her chopsticks and smiling. "Eat up, Gene."

He'd taken two additional plates before Luella turned to Sarah and Lin, and as soon as his mother's attention was diverted Gene set down his chopsticks and glanced back at the spirit who was watching them closely. There hadn't been a good opportunity, but he'd wanted to speak to it ever since he'd seen it watching Sarah that morning. He gazed at the hovering shape, his mind slipping out of his body so that he could speak to the spirit familiar on the astral plane without being overheard. "Hello, what's your name? I don't believe we've met."

"_Kit-wai_," the spirit responded simply. "_No, we haven't._"

He couldn't help the smile from forming on his lips. "I really should just ask Lin to introduce me to all of you sometime."

"_As you like_."

"Why's he having you watch over Sarah, anyway?"

"_Do you really need to ask that question?_"

He laughed, watching as his body reached for another sushi plate off the conveyer belt. "No, I suppose not. Did he give you instructions to interfere?"

"_Only if her life is in danger_."

"She'll be fine, you know."

"_Maybe_," the spirit agreed. "_But my Master is cautious_."

"That's for sure." Gene muttered, his physical body mimicking his mental state as he leaned forward, resting his chin on his hands in apparent deep thought. "This would all be much easier if he'd just tell her he liked her and we could go from there." He glanced back toward the spirit. "Does she remember or doesn't she? Do you know?"

The spirit cocked its head. "_I don't understand what you're asking_."

Gene remained silent, suddenly understanding something he hadn't realized before. _Aahil knows, but Aahil isn't like Lin's other shiki. Does this mean none of the other shiki know what happened?_

"_Gene_," his mother called, her voice from far away, and he shook himself slightly, falling back into his body to answer her call. "Are you full? You're just staring at your plate."

"No," Gene said, picking up the piece of sushi and dipping it in the ground wasabi paste he'd mixed in with the soy sauce. "Still hungry," he informed her and ate the piece with one bite. Glancing again to his left, he saw that Lin was regarding him curiously. Shrugging at the onmyouji in response, he reached for a sixth plate.

...

Satisfied after their lunch at the cafe, Naru, Mai and Martin returned upstairs. Martin sat down on the sofa in the main area of the office and opened a book as Mai returned to her desk and Naru perused the bookshelf.

"Mai," Naru began, eyes scanning the titles. "I have something for you to look over this afternoon, if you've finished your other work. In the meantime, make another pot of tea, would you?"

"Certainly," Mai said, springing to her feet and hurrying to the kitchenette. As soon as she had left her desk her mobile began to ring a cheerful sound, and Naru frowned as he crossed the room and dug it out of her coat pocket.

"_Hey_," Mai whispered, hurrying back to her desk.

"Your friend Yuriko is calling you," he told her flatly, passing the object toward her.

Mai frowned, puzzled, as she took the phone. "My friends all know I had to work, why's she calling me?" She flipped it open and held it to her ear. "_Moshi-moshi, _Yuriko-chan?"

Naru watched her, his lips pursing together as he saw some of the color drain from her cheeks. "_What exactly happened? Is she okay?_" She said, agitated. Noticing that Martin had looked up from his reading on the sofa, she turned away, her voice hushed. "_Um, yeah, I'm at work, but I'll... I'll check. I might be able to get away for a little while._" Mai dropped the phone from her ear, covering the receiver with her hand. "Naru," she began tentatively, her eyebrows furrowing together.

"What is it?" Naru asked her, speaking in English so his father could understand if he was listening. "Is one of your friends in trouble?"

"Yeah," Mai bit her lip. "It's my friend Keiko. She's really upset. It's not... I mean, it doesn't _sound _like it's really serious, but do you mind if I...?"

He nodded and waved his hand, gesturing for her to go. Her correction and choice of words were not lost on him. This must have happened before, and if Mai thought it was necessary to be there for her friend he wouldn't stop her. "Go," he said. "It's fine. Take as long as you need."

"Thank you," she said gratefully, and raised the phone back to her ear. "Yuriko-chan? _It's fine, I'll be there in.. probably twenty minutes or so. Yeah. See you._" She closed the phone and picked up her jacket again, returning it to her pocket. "Thank you," she told Naru again. "I'm sorry to leave like this—"

"It's fine," he shook his head, returning to the bookshelf as he searched for the particular volume he had in mind. "I imagine it'll be a quiet afternoon here anyway."

"Y-yeah," Mai said slowly, though she didn't seem completely sure. "I'll make your tea before I go—"

"Don't bother," he shrugged and pulled a book from the shelf, smirking slightly as he held it up for her to see. "Some reading for your bus ride?"

...

"Everything all right?" Martin inquired.

Naru nodded. "One of Mai's friends just needs some moral support," he said. "Just some emotional distress." Even though Mai hadn't clarified, it seemed the most likely. "She wasn't originally scheduled to work today anyway," he lied, "so it doesn't seem fair to keep her here."

Martin nodded slowly, considering his son. A grin finally broke over his lips and he smiled widely. "Respecting your employees private lives and providing flexibility is an important skill for any manager to learn, Noll." He chuckled and returned his gaze to his book. "As long as you're not providing preferential treatment because you're dating her."

Naru's expression soured slightly as he turned to go into his office. "No. That wouldn't be very professional," he muttered.

Martin smiled and turned the page. "Bring your work out here, Noll. I have some questions for you about these case notes."

Naru had just disappeared into his office when the office door opened. Martin looked up, expecting to see Mai, thinking perhaps she'd returned or that she'd forgotten something, but it was a very different person indeed. A tall, lanky man peered cautiously inside, sunglasses propped on his head, his light brown hair pulled back into a messy ponytail and a guitar case slung over his back.

"Yo," he said, a friendly smile spreading across his features when he saw Martin. "You must be the man who opened Shibuya Psychic Research. I saw the advertisement in the paper of a new psychic research firm opening. My name's Takigawa Houshou and I was in Dogenzaka for a gig later tonight so I wanted to come by and introduce myself—" he stopped himself abruptly, noticing the look of thinly veiled incomprehension on the man's face at the onslaught of his rapid Japanese.

"_Konnichi wa_," Martin said politely, rising to his feet and tipping his head. "Martin Davis _de-su_. _Yoroshi-ku o-negaishima-su_." His Japanese pronunciation was careful but unnatural. He looked somewhat embarrassed, and turned gratefully when his adopted son appeared in the doorway. "Noll, I'm afraid I've already exhausted my limited knowledge of Japanese greetings. I'll have to have you apologize for me."

If anything, Takigawa seemed even more pleased to be in the presence of a foreigner, a wide grin lifting his lips. "_Harro_," he said, taking Martin's hand with his own and pumping it energetically. "_Nais tu miichuu, Marchen_-san_. _ _Mai neemu es_ Takigawa Houshou." He looked toward Naru in the door. "_An yu_?"

"I'm Shibuya Kazuya," Naru continued smoothly in Japanese. If his brother had been there, he knew, he would have laughed outright at the monk's pronunciation. "Please come in, Takigawa-san. You'll have to forgive our foreign visitor. He does not speak very much Japanese."

Takigawa looked surprised before turning dubious eyes between the two. "You're Shibuya?" He asked. "Pardon me, but you run this office?"

"Only temporarily," Naru said, a wry smirk crossing his features. "I have to return to my studies. My older brother will resume operations in a few days."

"I see." Takigawa nodded, exhaling a chuckle. "Sorry, I just thought you seemed a little young."

Naru's lip curled, genuinely annoyed. "My age has nothing to do with my capabilities, I assure you."

Takigawa laughed loudly. "No," he agreed, "I suppose it doesn't." He stuffed his hands in his pockets, sitting down on the sofa next to where Martin had been sitting.

"Noll," Martin said, gesturing toward his office slightly. "I'll just be in your office to be out of the way." Naru have a short nod and his father lifted an eyebrow. "Be polite, son," he muttered quietly, and Naru's smirk simply widened in response.

"Of course." Naru turned back to Takigawa and sat down on the other sofa, regarding the monk carefully. "I take it you must be in a similar line of business, Takigawa-san, unless you came here purely out of curiosity, which I admit seems unlikely."

"Quite right," Takigawa nodded congenially. "It may surprise you that you have a monk from Mt. Koya at your service."

Naru raised an eyebrow at the man. "Then I suppose neither of us look the part. I didn't know they allowed monks at Koya to have long hair."

Takigawa laughed. "I'm a bit of a maverick," he said. "I came down from the mountain a few years ago. Actually, my career is in music, but I offer my services as a monk when needed."

"How very interesting." Naru leaned back in the sofa, resting his ankle against his knee. "I didn't expect the advertisement in the paper to generate so much attention. We received a visit from the staff of Minami Psychic Research two weeks ago, for a similar reason that you're here today. Minami-san had seen the notice and was curious and all too eager to offer advice to a competing research firm."

"Minami Psychic Research?" Takigawa repeated dubiously, scratching his cheek. "Never heard of them. They must be second-rate."

Naru's lips curled in amusement, remembering that the monk had once said something very similar about himself. "While I wouldn't normally discount someone based on their popularity, in this specific instance, having met the man in question, I would agree."

"You haven't been open very long, have you?" Takigawa continued. "I'm sure I would have heard about you before now if that were the case. How many clients have you taken on, anyway?"

"I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to discuss such confidential matters," Naru said calmly.

"Fair enough, I suppose," the monk agreed.

"Do you mind if I ask you some questions of my own?" Naru queried.

"By all means," Takigawa grinned.

"You say your career is in music, and yet you also offer the services of a Shingon Buddhist monk. I assume you must continue to practice the rites and obligations of your sect to some degree."

"That's right," the monk supplied, laughing easily. "I suppose I'm a bit like an independent contractor. Though in this field, who isn't?"

Naru smirked. "That may be true," he agreed.

Takigawa gestured toward him slightly. "A psychic research office such as this is not terribly common."

"No," Naru agreed. "It certainly does not seem to be the norm." He folded his hands in his lap, watching the monk curiously. "Would you be interested in occasionally working on my team? We might find it quite beneficial to have a Buddhist monk on an investigation."

"Your team?" Takigawa repeated, an eyebrow lifting slightly in amusement. "Don't you mean your _brother's_ team?"

"Yes," Naru corrected himself, looking annoyed. "I'm sure my _brother _will look forward to meeting you very much."

"Sure," Takigawa said good-naturedly. If the monk had thought anything strange of Naru's behavior, he'd already dismissed it. "I'll leave my contact information with you, if you don't mind passing it along."

"Not at all," Naru said dryly, accepting the business card with a nod as Takigawa handed it to him. "He said he has a client coming in later this week. No doubt he'll contact you in regards to that case."

"Much obliged. Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Shibuya-san," Takigawa said, rising to his feet and picking up the guitar he'd leaned carefully against the sofa. "I'd better be on my way. Later!"

With that, the monk strode out of the office, closing the door behind him.

Naru remained motionless on the sofa, resting his fingertips together as he considered the monk's appearance. He did not turn as he heard Martin open the side office door, nor as the man resumed his earlier seat on the sofa.

"Who was that?" Martin asked curiously.

"A Buddhist monk," Naru said in a flat tone. "An exorcist. It seems he'd be interested in working with this office on future cases. Should there ever be a need."

"Is that so?" Martin's eyes brightened in interest and curiosity. "I'd like to see that very much."

...

Mai sighed as she trudged up the stairs for the _fifth _time that day, her thighs aching slightly. Evidently none of the exercises she did with Lin did anything for those straining leg muscles, and she wondered distractedly if she should start taking the stairs to Naru and Gene's apartment instead of the lift.

Keiko would be okay, she knew. The girl had been in distress but with her friends there with her, she'd bounce back. Mai bit her lip, hoping she wouldn't come to regret her decision of leaving after only half an hour with the other girls. Keiko had told her to go back to work but she still felt guilty all the same. The first time this had happened, she, Yuriko, and Michiru had been with Keiko all day to comfort her after that jerk of a boy said those mean things to her. Even Michiru, whose grandparents were visiting her family, had snuck out of the house to be with their friend.

Mai frowned as she reached the office door, struck by the sudden feeling that _probably _there'd been a visitor that afternoon. Who was it? A client? She turned the doorknob and pushed the door open, catching her breath when she saw Naru and Martin on the sofas. Martin, reading, looked up when he saw her, smiling slightly and lifting a finger to his lips. Naru, on the other sofa, was reclining with a book in his hands and very much asleep.

Mai smiled and closed the door silently behind her, shrugging off her jacket and folding it over the back of her chair. Martin rose and crossed the room, following her into the kitchenette.

"Would you care for some tea, Dr. Davis?" Mai asked, keeping her voice low to make sure she didn't disturb Naru in the other room.

"Thank you, yes, please. That would be lovely," Martin said, standing awkwardly as she filled the kettle. "Anything I can do to help?" He asked.

"Oh, um," Mai thought for a moment and pointed to the upper cupboard. "Actually, there's some biscuits on the top shelf. I can't reach without a chair. Would you mind..?"

"Not at all," Martin chuckled, opening the cupboard and extending his arm to reach the shelf easily, shuffling between several boxes to get a better look. "Shortbread or crèmes?"

"Oh, shortbread, please," she smiled, measuring the tea into the mesh tea strainer. "And if you could take out the cups—there's only seven, so we'll use all of them."

He raised an eyebrow at her but complied, taking the cups first and then the saucers from the cupboard, stacking them neatly on the counter. "You think Gene and the others will be back in time for tea?"

"Mn, probably," Mai said vaguely and lifted her hand to look at the watch on her wrist. "They should be back soon."

Martin considered the cups before him, tapping his chin. "Seven cups, hm?" He said suddenly. "That seems like a strange number."

Mai gave a half-smile to the steaming kettle. "One broke, actually. There should be eight."

Martin nodded thoughtfully. "The Murata case," he suddenly said, and she dipped her head in wordless affirmation. "I see."

The kettle began to boil and Mai counted to ten to let it boil vigorously before switching off the power. Waiting for it to cool slightly, she opened the package of shortbread and arranged the biscuits on a plate before turning her attention back to the hot water and pouring it into the teapot.

"Mai," Martin began quietly, a thoughtful expression on his features.

She looked at him questioningly as she set the timer. "Yes, Dr. Davis?"

He chuckled. "Please, just call me Martin." He gazed at her with an openly curious expression on his face. "I hope you don't mind my asking, but how is it exactly that you came to work here, for my sons?" He held up his hands gently, seeing her flush nervously and avert her gaze. "I... I understand that you and Noll care very much for one another. That Gene considers you a very close friend as well. It just seems unnecessary for them to drag you into our line of work unless you were predisposed." His lips twitched in a small smile. "Certainly Noll wants to spend time with you, but there's no reason why they couldn't simply close the office on weekends so you could be together. We didn't set any requirements for the opening of this office—at least not time constraints such as being open on the weekends."

Mai felt her flush intensify. "You know... how seriously he takes his work, Dr. Davis," she said, her voice half-mumbled.

He clicked his tongue softly and continued. "Being open seven days a week is rather ambitious. Certainly you have homework you need to focus on, and wish to spend your free time with your friends as well," he gestured toward her vaguely. "I do hope your friend feeling better, by the way."

"Yeah, she'll be fine," Mai said. The timer dinged and she removed the mesh strainer from the teapot, tapping it gently to shake off the excess tea in the leaves before setting it on a small plate. "Just some normal teenager stuff that'll blow over in a few days."

He tilted his head slightly as he considered her, the light shining over his glasses with the movement and Mai was suddenly reminded of Yasuhara. "You aren't afraid of encountering spirits?" He asked, and motioned for the teacups on the counter. "You saw one of these cups break because of a spirit, and that was only the beginning of the danger of that case. It had its sights set on killing that girl, after all."

"It's not.. that I'm _not _afraid of ghosts, or anything like that," Mai said quietly, pouring a cup of tea and passing it to Martin. "But I do find it very interesting. And I think it's very important to have a business like this," she said, pouring a second cup for herself. "People might _say _they believe in ghosts and spirits and the supernatural, but when someone comes to them with a problem, they suddenly believe the opposite. _Oh, there's no way that can be real_, or _You're making all of it up_." She smiled wanly, watching the steam float from her teacup. "There are so many people who are faced with difficulties that others refuse to believe exist. And if there's anything I can do to help ease their burden, I'm happy to do it."

Martin smiled as he lifted the teacup to his lips, watching her. "You're very mature for your age, Mai."

Mai flushed suddenly and looked at her hands. "Not especially, Dr. Davis."

"I suppose it makes sense that Noll, he..." Martin's voice trailed off into silence. Mai stared at the floor, aware of what his thoughts must be. The two sipped the tea in the kitchenette for several moments before Martin spoke again. "I.. I'd like to apologize, again, Mai, for yesterday." He cleared his throat slightly and the blush that had nearly disappeared from her cheeks flared up once more. "I do hope you'll forgive me. We got off on the wrong foot, but I'd like to make amends."

Mai stared at the cup in her hands, her cheeks feeling as hot as her fingers. "It's understandable, Dr. Davis," she said quietly. "You weren't.. expecting to find one of your sons spending time with a girl." She closed her eyes briefly, suddenly dizzy with relief that the Davises hadn't shown up ten or fifteen minutes later. Naru's lust for her body was ten times more than what it had been as an adult—vaguely she wondered if teenaged hormones had anything to do with it, or if simply the circumstances had lowered his inhibitions—and in fifteen minutes she might have been half naked, and Martin and Luella's reactions had been tame compared to what _that_ catastrophe would have been. "I suppose you must think us terribly childish and irresponsible. I understand that you must.." she took a breath, still unable to look Martin in the eyes. "You must feel a little relieved that Naru's returning to England with you, Dr. Davis."

"Please, Mai, call me Martin. No need for such formalities." He said again, smiling wanly. "I'll admit I feel.. a little conflicted. I'm rather protective of Gene and Noll, but I know that you're very important to them. For that I'm grateful." His mouth twitched slightly in a sudden smile. "I don't think Noll's ever let himself become friends with anyone. Gene's had friends, though he's kept his distance from them to stay close to his brother." He gestured toward her slightly. "I should be thanking you, Mai, so I'd like to be able to put our first meeting behind us and start fresh."

Mai nodded, meeting his warm gaze timidly. "Of course, Doct—Martin," she corrected herself, blushing slightly when his smile widened across his face. She'd always loved Martin's smile, with his bright twinkling eyes and the pronounced dimples on his cheeks. Apart from John and Michiru, Mai had never met anyone else with dimples, and both John and Michiru only had one.

Both Martin and Mai turned their heads as they heard the office door open. "_We're back!_" Gene called in a sing-song voice. "Oy, Noll, wake up!"

Martin chuckled and Mai smiled, imagining the grumpy look Naru undoubtedly had, first to have been woken and then to realize his father had let him sleep. She picked up the tea tray and followed the man out of the kitchenette. Gene was hanging their coats, Luella and Sarah were making their way over to the sofas and Lin had already disappeared into his office.

"Afternoon tea?" Gene asked when he saw Mai, a grin lighting up his face and he crossed the room to sit down next to his brother.

"How was your day?" Martin asked Luella and Sarah, setting his teacup down on the coffee table before sitting down next to his wife. "Good timing, Mai's just made us some tea."

Mai met Naru's gaze tentatively as she set down the tray. He looked noticeably better after his rest and his lips twitched in a smile at the promise of tea. Gene nudged him with his elbow, grinning, to which Naru gave a resigned sigh and leaned forward, picking up the teapot. Naru poured the tea into the cups and Gene passed them around, first to Sarah and then to their mother.

"Lin," Luella called over her shoulder. "Won't you join us for afternoon tea?" She turned back to Martin, smiling her thanks as her son handed her the cup of tea. "It's too bad you couldn't come with us, Martin, Sensoji was really amazing. Not just the temple itself but all the structures around it. The Thunder Gate at the entrance must be the most famous besides the temple itself. What did it say, Sarah, do you remember? The one there today was built in the sixties but the original gate stood for over three hundred years—"

"Yes, that it'd been rebuilt several times," Sarah affirmed, smiling and dipping her head gratefully as Gene offered the plate of shortbread toward her.

"Lin," Gene called loudly. "There's one cup of tea left with your name on it."

Lin emerged from his office, looking slightly annoyed. "Coming." Gene held the cup of tea toward him and he hesitated, seeing the only vacant spot in the sitting area was next to Sarah, but accepted the tea and sat down stiffly.

Naru caught the mental exasperation from his brother. _What is it?_ He asked silently.

_Just wishing Lin would man up about this_, Gene snorted silently.

Naru frowned. _ I don't think you're being very fair about this, Gene. Lin's in a difficult position._

_If Mai didn't remember you would _you _just sit quietly waiting?_

Naru exhaled. _He'll sort it, Gene. Just let Lin do it his own way. Besides, if you're any more obvious about it, Luella will catch on, and the _last _thing we need is for Luella to get it in her mind that she needs to set the two of them up._ When Gene didn't respond he continued. _Think about it. If Luella gets a hint that Lin is interested in Sarah, she'll start trying to push the two of them together. You know how she is._

_Not as bad as Madoka_, Gene retorted, and his brother smirked in response.

_No,_ he agreed. _Not as bad as Madoka, I suppose._

Their mental conversation was cut short as both twins turned their heads simultaneously, watching as Mai hopped to her feet and hurried to her desk as the phone began to ring.

The group on the sofas quieted as she took the call, Luella continuing her anecdotes of the day in a hushed tone. "After lunch we went to Hamarikyu Garden but stopped first at the Kiyosumi Gardens, which was absolutely lovely. It was Lin who recommended the latter," she smiled brightly at the tall Chinese man in gratitude. "We walked around for a while before Gene suggested we come back here and pick you up and we could go to Meiji Shrine. It's not too far from here—"

"Yeah, we can walk if you want," Gene said. "It closes at sunset, so we have a couple hours still."

"What time does the sun go down?" Martin asked.

"Between five and five-thirty," Lin responded.

"We can go out to eat and walk around Yoyogi Park, too, if you'd like," Gene said, glancing at his brother. "Shouldn't be too hard to find somewhere around here decent to get some dinner."

Naru shrugged slightly, watching Mai as she finished the phone call and returned the phone to its cradle. "Potential client?" He asked as she returned to the sofas.

"Maybe," she began dubiously. "It was hard to tell. He made an appointment to come in next week."

"He's just got an old, creaky house," Gene muttered. "Just blaming it on the fact that his father-in-law just died."

Naru raised an eyebrow at his twin but said nothing.

"You can discount his claims after you've heard them yourself," Martin admonished his son. He drank the last of his tea and returned the empty teacup to the saucer. "Shall we go? We've only got about an hour until sunset."

"I'm feeling very much refreshed, thank you," Luella beamed at Mai as collected her teacup and carried it to the kitchenette. "Shall we just save these dirty dishes for tomorrow so we can go now?"

"Oh," Mai waved her hands. "It's okay. It'll only take a minute. If you want to go now that's fine, I'll lock up."

"Let me help you," Sarah offered, stacking the plates on the table to bring them to the kitchenette and Mai nodded gratefully.

"Sure, if you don't mind. Thanks."

"There's no reason we can't wait five minutes—" Naru began but Mai smiled brightly at him, shaking her head.

"It's no problem, really. There's only an hour until the shrine closes, after all. I'll be right behind you and I'll meet you there."

Lin pressed his lips together as he buttoned up his suit jacket, his eyebrows lowering slightly as if he was about to protest, but Luella spoke before the man could open his mouth to speak. "All right," she said reluctantly. "We'll leave you to it. Thank you."

"It's no problem," Mai said cheerfully, wrapping the uneaten shortbread in plastic and returning it to the package. Sarah placed the stack of plates on the counter and began to fill the sink with water, bending to find the detergent and a sponge in the cupboard below the sink. Naru slipped into the kitchen behind her, holding his empty teacup in one hand and his coat slung over his arm.

"I appreciate you cleaning up," he said softly and leaned forward, whispering in Mai's ear so only she could hear. "_Takigawa came to the office earlier_. _While you were out. I wanted to let you know._"

"_What?_" She whispered, her eyes widening and she stared at him in disbelief. "_But why? Does that mean_—"

"_Yes_," he said quietly, glancing first at Sarah, who was turned away and made no indication she could hear them, and then toward his parents, who seemed distracted enough. "_I'll tell about it later_." He set the teacup down next to the sink, looking back toward his parents. Luella was laughing with Gene but Martin was watching him, waiting for him to join them, and he strode back into the office, slinging his jacket around his shoulders.

"Ready, Noll?" Gene asked. His voice trailed off and he frowned, pulling his mobile out of his pocket, the object buzzing persistently in his hand. "Who's this now?" He murmured and lifted the phone to his ear. "_Moshi-moshi_," he answered in Japanese, his eyes trained on the opposite wall somewhere between his brother's and his mother's forms. "_Yes, this is Shibuya Ichirou. How can I help you? Oh, Hara-san?! I admit I wasn't expecting to hear back from you.."_

_Hara-san?_ In the kitchen, Mai pressed her fingers to her temples, suddenly feeling very overwhelmed. First Yasuhara, then Takigawa, and now Masako. She half-expected Ayako to waltz through the door in her favorite purple leopard-print vest.

"_Yes, certainly, I'm available. I'd love to meet with you. Thank you for returning my call yourself, I understand you must be very busy..._" Gene's head bobbed as he spoke. "_Yes, yes, quite right. The very same_." His lips twitched in a smile. "_Unfortunately I'm leaving the office right this very moment. Is there any chance.._." He nodded again. "_Yes, certainly. Tomorrow or Monday would be fine. If we could schedule something now, I have some appointments during the day and may not be available..._"

Mai glanced at Naru, trying to read his expression, but if he was surprised—which she assumed he must be at least a _little _surprised—he hid it startlingly well. She then noticed out of the corner of her eye that Sarah had turned off the water and was watching her.

"_Great, that sounds perfect. I'll see you then, Hara-san_." Gene lowered the phone, raising an eyebrow in the direction of his brother and Mai.

"Who was that, darling?" Luella asked.

"Hara Masako," Gene said flatly. "The famous medium, the one with the show on the telly? I'm pretty sure I told you about her."

"Oh, yes," Martin nodded. "Yes, I recall. You contacted her earlier on your trip, but that was weeks ago. She finally got back to you?"

"Yeah," Gene affirmed. "Apparently she didn't get the message from her manager until a couple days ago." His lips curled in a strange smile and Mai had the feeling that the brothers had suddenly traded places as she couldn't remember seeing Gene smirk quite like that before. Something about it seemed too much like Naru, and even that seemed like a strange notion. "She wanted to meet me," Gene finished, waving his hand nonchalantly, and the strange feeling vanished.

"Today?" Naru asked quietly, eyes narrowing slightly.

Gene shrugged. "She said she was in Shibuya right now, but I told her we were leaving, so she said she could come by the office Monday afternoon, after school."

"That's excellent, I'd love to meet her," Martin said enthusiastically, glancing toward his other son. "What do you think, Noll? It's not every day you get an interview with one of the most well-known mediums in the world. She's certainly the most famous in Japan, and though she's a bit of a television celebrity she's surely one of the more talented of our times." He beamed toward Gene again. "I can't wait to hear how her psychic abilities differ from yours, Gene. I'd better make a list of questions.."

"I'm sure she's hardly expecting an interview, Martin," Naru interrupted dryly. He gave a sidelong glance toward Mai, but she'd turned back to the task of tidying the kitchen, her face strangely blank as she worked beside Sarah, who was washing the dishes in the soapy water on one half of the sink before passing them to Mai, who rinsed the cups and saucers before stacking them neatly in the drying rack.

"Noll's right, dear," Luella cautioned. "You have a tendency to come on a little strong. It won't do if you scare her away with your questions and prodding right off the bat."

"No, of course not," Martin looked between his sons, abashed, and laughed. "Perhaps I can ask you to introduce me, Gene," he teased.

"_Dad_," Gene warned. "You had better not embarrass us. This could be a really good thing for the office, you know, to have the support of the famous Hara Masako."

Martin chuckled, his eyes twinkling. "Of course not, Gene. All the same, it'll be invigorating to have a discussion with her anyway I'm sure."

Naru exhaled, glancing at the clock on the wall. "It's getting dark," he reminded his family. "We're wasting time. Let's go," he said, and falling into step beside his twin, he led the others out of the office. Lin followed the brothers reluctantly and Luella and Martin were close behind.

"Thanks again," Luella called to the young women. "We'll see you in a few, okay?"

"Y-yeah, see you there," Mai called after them, stammering slightly.

Sarah glanced at her as she finished rinsing the last of the dishes, setting them in the drying rack as Mai pulled a clean towel out of a drawer and began to dry. "Are you all right, Mai-san?" She asked quietly. "All of a sudden..."

Mai forced herself to smile brightly, though there was a lump in her throat and her heart was thudding nervously in her chest. "Yeah," she assured her. "Sorry. I was just thinking.." her voice trailed off and she didn't know how to continue. It seemed like ages since she'd seen Takigawa and Masako. Takigawa, the man she'd come to think of affectionately as her older brother, and Masako, who had become one of her closest friends. When she saw either of them again, however, they wouldn't remember her, and she couldn't stop herself from feeling despondent at the thought. "I just haven't been to Meiji Shrine in a while," she lied, quickly picking up another teacup to dry when she realized her hands were trembling, hoping Sarah wouldn't notice the slight movement. "I was trying to remember what it's like."

...

When they reached the street, Naru led the way, striding forward quickly so as to put a few paces between himself and his parents, and Gene had to skip slightly to catch up with him. Lin, of course, walked normally with his long, even strides.

"I really don't think anything else can surprise me today," Naru muttered to his brother. "I have to admit, I really didn't think Hara-san would call you back."

"It _is _a tad surprising, isn't it," Gene agreed. "What else caught you off-guard today, brother-dearest?"

Naru made an aggravated face at his brother but didn't complain. "Yasuhara was suspicious," he told the two of them quietly, his voice low so that Martin or Luella could not overhear their conversation. "Only a few days and he's already got it in his head that I'm using an assumed name."

Lin frowned but remained silent. "How did he know?" Gene asked, puzzled. "Certainly he can't have any inclination of who we actually are—"

Naru's lips twitched in a sardonic smirk. "No. And he doesn't even know about your existence, Gene. It was an educated guess, but still a guess. It's been a long time since I've worked with Yasuhara. I'd nearly forgotten that not only is he a skilled researcher who knows how to utilize the resources he has available, but he's very good at reading the people around him as well."

Gene laughed. "You mean Mai gave us away?"

"Something like that."

Lin's eyebrows furrowed, mimicking his frown as he remembered how good Yasuhara was at figuring out things that were supposed to stay hidden, whether for their benefit or detriment alike. "He went to the Shibuya Ward Taxation Office, didn't he?" He exhaled quietly, shaking his head. "Then he knows about the connection between SPR and BSPR, no doubt."

"Yes," Naru admitted. "I'm not terribly concerned about them discovering the truth, but we shouldn't do anything for a while that might give us away. I think we'll have to wait for Yasuhara to meet Takigawa to become suspicious enough to figure out our true identities." He smirked at his brother. "Neither of whom know we're twins. I told Takigawa I was looking after the office in lieu of my older brother. _How _much older, of course, remained unspoken. You're welcome to pretend to be me the next time he comes to the office. I'm sure we can come up with a believable story—"

"Takigawa also came to the office today?" Lin repeated, incredulous.

"Indeed."

Lin pursed his lips. "Then Mai was right. That Yasuhara wouldn't be the only visitor."

"Hm," Gene mused. "She knew but she didn't know. This is a habit of hers, isn't it." He tapped his cheek thoughtfully with his index finger. "I guess I understand why you get so aggravated with her, Noll."

Naru arched an eyebrow defensively. "Whoever said I was aggravated? Ever?"

"Must've remembered wrong," Gene said quickly, and Lin coughed into his hand to hide his smile.

...

Mai and Sarah caught up with the others not long after they arrived at Meiji Shrine, and the group meandered the forest that surrounded the temple complex. They stopped at any buildings that were open to the public, tossing coins in the offering boxes although Mai was the only one to pray. Martin and Luella walked side-by-side down the tree-lined walkway and Lin followed at a respectable distance behind them, though in actuality he was constantly glancing at Sarah out of the corner of his eye, and even stopping to wait for her as she bought a good-luck charm from a smiling nun.

Passing by a small structure with rows of wooden cubbyholes, Gene tugged on Mai's elbow, pointing with his other hand toward it. "What's that?" He asked. "There was one of those at Sensoji too."

"Hm? Oh, _omikuji. _ You draw your fortune for a hundred yen," Mai said, smiling. "Want to try?"

"Why not." He looked over his shoulder, seeking out his brother. Naru had stopped to gaze pensively at a huge tree encircled by a sacred rope, holding his elbow in one hand and the other resting against his cheek in contemplation. "Noll," Gene called. "You want to get your fortune?"

"I'll pass," Naru said distractedly, gazing at the tree.

Gene shrugged and led Mai down the path toward the structure. Slipping the coins into the box, they took turns shaking the wooden rods out of the metal cylinder and then taking the corresponding paper from the cubbyhole.

"Eighty-eight," Gene laughed, holding up his paper for her to see. "Great fortune! What did you draw, Mai?"

"Ninety-nine," Mai said, trying to ignore the shiver that ran down her spine as she saw the paper. "Great curse." She folded it in half forced a laugh. "Bad fortune. In fact it's the worst."

"Well, I'll just give you mine, then," Gene said with a grin, passing her his paper and plucking hers from her fingers. "You _will _succeed in your new venture. Now _is_ a good time to take a risk. Your investments _will_ bear fruit. And now _is_ a good time to get married." He winked at her, and Mai couldn't help but laugh, pushing his shoulder away.

"Be quiet, Gene," she whispered, giggling.

"I'm serious, Mai. Martin and Luella need to understand how important you are to us," Gene whispered back and the silly grin slipped from Mai's face. "I'm _this _close to telling them everything if they don't take you seriously."

Mai raised her hands to cover her face, rubbing her nose with her fingertips. "It's fine, Gene," she mumbled. "Martin and Luella have been really nice to me today. And you can't... you can't expect them to act the way they did before if you tell them what happened. It's not fair to them to think that. It'll never be real to them the way it is for us."

He gazed at her silently for several moments and Mai squirmed under his level gaze. "What is it?" She finally asked. Gene suddenly grinned, reaching toward her and snapping his fingers next to her ear, and Mai jumped at the sound. "What was that for?" She demanded, covering her ears with her fingers.

"You sound too much like Noll," he said. "Just trying to break the spell."

"What?" Mai protested, dropping her hands and putting them on her hips.

"You know," he laughed, lifting his hands in an ambiguous gesture. "The magic spell will end with the snap of my fingers—"

"That's _hypnotism,_ Gene," Mai corrected him crossly.

"Same difference," he rolled his eyes. "And this is the thanks I get for giving you my _great fortune_."

"I never asked you to give me your fortune!" Mai laughed, pulling it back out of her pocket and waving it in front of his face. "Here, take it back."

"No way," Gene laughed, stepping backwards away from her. "Besides, it worked, didn't it? You're not acting like Noll anymore—"

"What's that supposed to mean, anyway?" She called after him. She suddenly stopped in her tracks, eyes widening as she caught sight of a familiar figure. Back at the covered structure they'd only just left, where they'd just drawn their fortunes—a petite girl in an indigo-colored kimono was shaking out a wooden rod to do the same.

"_No way_," she whispered.

Gene's lips widened into a grin. "_What a coincidence_," he murmured in Japanese, and strode toward her. "Wow, you didn't tell me she was so _cute_."

"W-w-w-wait!" Mai stuttered. "What are you doing?" She hissed, running to catch up to him, grabbing his arm as if to pull him back.

"I'm going to introduce myself, what else?" he pulled his arm out of her grasp and gave her a devious smirk. "Careful, Mai, if she sees that she'll get the wrong idea."

Mai's cheeks reddened and she mumbled something under her breath as she followed him.

"Hara Masako, I presume?" Gene asked as he approached her, stopping a polite distance away.

Masako turned at his voice, holding a paper fortune in both hands. "Yes?" She began hesitantly, eyes narrowing slightly as she considered them.

"I'm sorry to bother you," he said, bowing politely. "I recognized you when I saw you and it just seemed too much of a coincidence. I am Shibuya Ichirou—we just spoke on the phone half an hour ago."

Masako's face visibly relaxed to hear who he was. "Nice to meet you, Shibuya-san." Her gaze moved to Mai and she gave her a small smile. "And.."

"Taniyama Mai. It's a pleasure to meet you." Mai introduced herself quickly, bowing slightly, exhaling in relief when Masako returned the polite greeting. "We won't keep you," Mai said, giving Gene a meaningful look. "Ichirou-_kun_ just wanted to introduce himself to you when he saw you—"

"Lucky coincidence, isn't it?" Gene interrupted with a laugh.

Masako smiled demurely. "Indeed. I do hope you'll accept my sincere apology for not getting back to you earlier. I just saw a note in my manager's calendar that a visiting psychic from England had called. She certainly never mentioned it to me before," she sniffed.

"I'm just glad it all worked out in the end," Gene said pleasantly.

"But you've opened an office, now?" Masako looked puzzled. "How long are you staying in Japan?"

"Oh, you know," Gene shrugged his shoulders and lifted his hands vaguely. "For a while. It's not yet determined exactly how long." He glanced at Mai. "Perhaps a year or two."

"I see." Masako considered him, tapping her fingers against the paper in her hands. "I hope this doesn't sound forward, but have we met before?"

"Definitely not," Gene said, without hesitation. "I would have remembered meeting someone so beautiful before."

Mai tried to stifle her laugh, but failed and a giggle escaped her lips. Surely, Masako must have said the same thing to Naru when she'd met him—she couldn't remember exactly, but certainly Naru hadn't responded anything like _this_.

At his statement Masako turned her nose up slightly at the boy. "I'm flattered. But I can already tell you're not my type."

Mai's mouth dropped open. That was perhaps the last thing she would have expected Masako to say.

Gene didn't seem to mind the instant rejection. If anything, his grin widened. "And brutally honest to boot!" He laughed.

Mai covered her lips as she began to laugh. Masako glared at her and Mai held up her hands. "I'm sorry," she said quickly. "I'm not laughing at you, not at all. You're really pretty, truly. It's just," Masako visibly softened to be complimented and Mai turned her gaze to Gene, "such a lame thing to say."

Gene feigned being hurt. "It's true. I would remember."

"Yeah, but it's so _cheesy_!" Mai laughed. "Who _says _that? Come on, you should know better."

"I'm only a sixteen year old boy," Gene muttered, genuinely annoyed. "In case you've _forgotten_, Mai."

Masako exhaled a quiet _hmph_, rolling her eyes but Mai could see that the girl was glad to have someone on her side. "_Honestly_."

Mai turned when she saw two figures approaching them from the path. "Ah, we'd better go," she said quickly, hoping Masako wouldn't see Naru, but it was too late. "We shouldn't intrude on your afternoon any longer..."

"Your brother, I presume?" Masako asked Gene lightly, an eyebrow delicately arching on her brow.

"The one and only."

Sarah seemed to recognize Masako as well, Mai thought, judging by the way the woman's eyes widened when she saw the girl. Naru, on the other hand, ignored Masako completely. "_Aniki_, it's getting late. We'd better reconvene with the others. They're waiting for us at the main gate." Only then did he turn to Masako, giving a short bow that was barely more than a nod of his head. "Shibuya Kazuya," he introduced himself. "I see you've met my brother. I hope we haven't bothered you too much."

"Not at all," Masako said smoothly, bowing as she introduced herself. Mai tried to quell the sudden jealousy that flared up in her stomach when she saw the look Masako gave Naru. It was a very different look from the one she'd given Gene when she met him, a look that was somehow both coquettish and demure and much too calculating for Mai's liking. Looking between the twins, Masako's eyebrows furrowed slightly. "I'm _certain _we've met before," she said slowly.

_Why_, Mai wondered bitterly to herself, _why must Masako always be attracted to Naru? Why not Gene this time? They'd actually make a really cute couple_— Mai's thoughts dwindled when Naru took her hand in his own, squeezing it gently.

"It seems unlikely," Naru said simply, "although, I'll admit, not entirely impossible."

"If you're headed back to the main gate as well, shall we walk together?" Gene offered to Masako.

"Certainly," Masako agreed slowly, her eyes moving between the group.

Naru tugged on Mai's hand, leading her back toward the main path, and Mai felt a happy blush spread across her cheeks for Naru to hold her hand in public.

They hadn't walked very far when Masako cleared her throat. "Excuse me," she asked Sarah. "May I... may I have a word with you?"

...

Mai, Gene, and Naru watched as Masako led Sarah down a side path, walking behind a tall hedge for privacy. Gene motioned the two forward and they crept closer to the other side of the hedge, where they could just make out the beginning of a conversation between the two women.

_I hate eavesdropping, _Naru told his brother silently, his voice in his thoughts flat and unamused. _Why are we listening?_

"I'm sorry to call you away from the others," Masako started, her voice much more nervous and unsure than just moments before. "I see spirits, you know. And it's just that... I saw a spirit following you. Watching you."

"Me?" Sarah asked, sounding surprised. "What kind of spirit?"

Masako hesitated. "It's not.. hostile," she said carefully. "It really just seems to be... watching."

Mai held her breath, looking at Naru questioningly before glancing at Gene, but their gazes were trained steadfast on the leaves of the hedgerow as if they could see the two figures standing behind it.

"Thank you for telling me," Sarah said honestly. "I'm glad... to know."

"It disappeared," Masako finally said, after a long pause. The three listening in could imagine the small frown, tugging at her features. "I think it must have seen me watching it as well."

_It's Lin's shiki_, Gene explained to his brother.

_So I figured,_ Noll remarked dryly. _Once again, why are we listening to this? It's none of our business._

_Well I was hoping_, Gene stuck his lower lip out in a pout, _that it might illuminate whether or not Sarah remembers._

_Neither here nor there_, Naru thought, sounding disinterested. He glanced toward Mai, smiling slightly when she met his gaze and nodding with his head for her to follow him, and the two retreated back to the path, Mai looking hesitantly behind her at Gene.

"Is it okay?" She asked Naru quietly, once they were far enough away that she wasn't worried about Masako or Sarah overhearing her. "Gene must have seen it as well, right?"

Naru gazed at her calmly, nodding slowly. "What about you?" He finally asked. "Did you see it?"

Mai bit her lip and looked at her shoes. She sighed and smiled sadly, looking back up at him to meet his gaze. "I might've," she admitted ruefully. "But I didn't even know what I was seeing, Naru."

He squeezed her hand tightly. "Be patient, Mai."

She bit her lip again and lifted her gaze to the trees, watching the gentle swaying of the pine in the evening light. The sun had dipped low in the sky and only the tops of the trees were bathed in golden light. "What if I never have abilities like I did before, Naru?" She suddenly asked. "Everything I ever did was pretty much by accident, and if it was because Gene was there in my dreams, lending me his psychic energy.."

"Then you don't have them," he replied simply. "Your psychic abilities don't define you, Mai." He smiled wryly. "Though, don't forget you made that psychic barrier. And this morning you channeled energy into Lin's stone."

"Yeah, maybe," Mai said dubiously. "But I don't think I could do it again if I tried."

"Maybe not," he agreed, and the smile widened. "But then again, maybe." He turned his gaze back toward his brother, his eyebrows rising slightly in amusement when Gene trotted back to them quickly. "I don't know why he stood there for so long," he muttered. "He could've eavesdropped just as well from here."

"What do you mean?" Mai asked, and Naru gave her a quizzical look.

"You don't know?"

She shook her head but he didn't answer her as Masako and Sarah appeared from behind the hedge shortly thereafter. Rejoining the group, Masako murmured quiet apologies for the disruption and they continued down the path until they reached a fork in the road.

"I'm heading this way, actually," Masako said, gesturing with her head toward the right side when she saw that they were veering toward the left. "It was nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, take care," Naru and Gene said, and the group exchanged pleasantries and polite bows. "Have a nice evening."

"Likewise," Masako dipped her head politely. "I look forward to meeting you at your office on Monday." Her gaze lingered on Naru's for slightly longer than was necessary and she turned, heading down the path and disappeared from sight.

Naru released a breath after the girl left, squeezing Mai's hand a little tighter before releasing it.

"Naru?" Mai asked him questioningly.

He shook his head. "Nothing." He exhaled again, gesturing forward to the path. "Martin and Luella were already talking about dinner before I left to find you. They'll be ready to go by the time we get there."

"What's for dinner?" Gene asked, lips quirking in a curious grin. "Japanese food?" He laughed and stretched his arms above his head. "I could go for some tempura!"

...

They met up with Martin and Luella outside the forest near the main shrine gate and Lin picked them up with the van only minutes later. Naru directed Lin to a restaurant he was familiar with, one that Mai had an inkling he'd once visited on his previous stay in Tokyo. It was obviously an upscale establishment, judging by the floral arrangements and a bubbling fountain in the lobby. A young man took their coats and the elderly hostess, an elegant woman in a dark kimono, smiled warmly at her guests and led them down a hall to a private dining room. Lin led the way, taking off his shoes and leaving them beside the sliding door before stepping up onto the tatami. Martin and Luella followed with their sons close behind, Mai and Sarah were the last into the room and the hostess slid the door closed behind them.

"The decor is like nothing I've ever seen," Sarah murmured quietly to Mai as they sat down on the embroidered cushions, who nodded her agreement. "It's beautiful."

"Me neither," she whispered, trying to ignore the niggling feeling that told her she didn't belong in such a high-end restaurant. She'd always known Martin and Luella were fairly well off, though the couple lived rather modestly and did not flaunt their wealth. They'd gone out to fancy restaurants in England, for birthdays and other special occasions, but to be included in this gathering when she'd only truly known them—or rather, _they'd_ known _her_—for less than a day seemed wrong, somehow.

"I think Noll chose this restaurant because they have an English menu," Gene told the two dryly. Mai cracked a grin and Sarah giggled softly into her hand.

Lin, Luella and Martin sat at one side of the table, and facing them, Mai almost felt like she was being interviewed by the Board of Directors at BSPR all over again. Martin was on the Board and had requested Lin to be present at that time, though of course Luella was not. It had been at a Western-style table, of course, rather than cushions on tatami and the low Japanese-style table, but something about facing the three exacerbated her nervousness. The feeling disappeared, however, as soon as their waitress came with tea and sake and two bowls of freshly-steamed _edamame _soybeans.

"Too bad I'm underage," Mai murmured ruefully to Sarah as she sipped her tea, watching Martin and Luella out of the corner of her eye. She didn't want them to overhear, but they were both preoccupied. Martin was asking Naru about the meal he'd arranged for them, and Luella and Gene were laughing together over some joke she couldn't understand. "I probably won't get a chance to drink such expensive sake ever again."

Sarah laughed lightly. "I'm sure there'll be another opportunity."

Lin smiled wryly at Mai as he sipped the drink. "I'd let you taste it, Mai, but I really don't think Luella would approve."

"No," Mai held up her hands quickly. "I don't want them to think I'm some sort of alcohol-crazed teenager," and Lin chuckled out loud at her comment.

"What was your favorite part of today?" Mai asked Sarah, changing the subject when she saw that Martin and Naru were finishing their conversation about the upcoming meal. "Did you get any souvenirs at the markets around Sensoji?"

"Just a couple," Sarah admitted. "Some chopsticks for my mother and a lucky cat statue for my friend. She loves cats."

Mai grinned. "A cat-person, right?" Her grin widened slightly as Sarah nodded. "What about you? Do you prefer cats or dogs?"

"Guilty cat-person," Sarah confessed with a laugh. "We always had a cat at the bakery to chase mice away, but never at home. I think I get it from my mother. She grew up with lots of cats, but my father and brother have always raised rabbits." She smiled at Mai. "And you?"

Mai grinned. "I never had pets at home until..." her voice trailed off and she thought about Umeboshi, the kitten Naru had given her for her last birthday. Unlike the people she'd met and friends she'd made in the past, there was no reason to think she'd ever see that cat again. She cleared her throat and forced a smile. "I love cats but I love dogs too. I've always wanted both, I think. A cat to snuggle up with on a cold night but a dog to play with in the park."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. I like dogs too. As long as they're not too noisy, maybe," Sarah laughed, though Mai thought she saw something sad and wistful in Sarah's eyes. "It seems like my neighbors have always had dogs that bark a lot, though that's mostly the fault of the human, not the dogs."

"What about you, Lin-san?" Mai asked, turning toward the man. "Did you have pets growing up?"

Lin raised an eyebrow at the question. "Not at my family home in Kwai Chung, no. But I spent most of my childhood in Liu To village with my grandmother, and she's always had dogs and birds, but never cats."

"Birds, hm?" Mai repeated, and tried to imagine Lin as a child or even a teenager but couldn't. "I suppose you wouldn't want cats if you had birds."

"No," Lin agreed with a slight smile. "At least not the kinds of birds she had, small songbirds. Maybe larger birds would be different." He shrugged his shoulders. "I admit I haven't thought much lately about getting a pet."

"Hmm," Mai thought aloud, and turned her gaze back to Sarah, reverting to the earlier topic. "Were those the only souvenirs you bought? Did you get anything for yourself?"

Sarah averted her gaze and Mai was surprised to see the young woman blushing. "Just a good-luck charm at Meiji Shrine," she said, looking embarrassed. "I don't really believe in that sort of thing, but..." She glanced at Lin, her blush darkening slightly and she looked away. "I know it's silly."

"Not at all," Mai said vehemently.

"Depending on who made the charm," Lin said softly, the small smile twitching at his lips. "If the crafter had any skill, it might bring you good luck after all."

"What about Mai's fortune, then?" Gene suddenly asked, leaning around his brother as he reached for more edamame. "Mai drew the worst fortune."

"Well what about your?" Mai laughed. "You traded with me, the bad fortune's yours now."

"Pure chance," Naru scoffed. "Drawing a number and taking a number is on the same line as reading your horoscope in a newspaper."

"Perhaps," Lin agreed, glancing between Mai and Gene. "Though spiritualists in China have used similar fortune telling techniques that have proved quite accurate. Unfortunately, simply trading the pieces of papers wouldn't change the fortune. _If _the fortune actually meant anything," he added, seeing Mai's stricken look.

"Does your family use this technique?" Martin asked Lin, his interest piqued.

"On my mother's side, yes," Lin admitted. "I have never practiced it myself. It was not part of my training."

"I'll have to ask you more about that later," Martin said, smiling as the waitress slid open the door. "Looks like the main course is here."

...

Dinner with the Davis family seemed to ease all the nervousness Mai had felt earlier in the evening. She was comfortable, listening to Martin, Lin and Naru discuss the fortune-telling techniques of Lin's family. Martin and Naru asked thoughtful questions, though Mai had the feeling Naru was only interjecting his own so that Martin would not monopolize the conversation.

"The practice is rooted in shamanistic rituals and folk religion from my mother's ancestors," Lin explained. "Certainly, it varies from region to region, family to family."

"Are Chinese folk religious practices similar to Mongolian shamanism?" Martin asked thoughtfully.

"I believe so, though I admit to know very little about Mongolian shamanism," Lin said. "Due to the proximity of my mother's ancestral home to Inner Mongolia, it wouldn't surprise me if my family's spiritual traditions were more similar to certain Mongol practices as compared to the folk religions one might find in Guangdong, the province just north of Hong Kong. I have read that the folk religions in Sichuan and Yunnan, for example, are closely connected to Tibetan Buddhism."

"Certainly, traditions will mingle over centuries of propinquity," Martin agreed, nodding thoughtfully.

Mai gave Naru a questioning glance and he smirked, understanding her confusion. _Closeness_, he mouthed.

"Lin, where is your mother's family from, again?" Luella asked.

"Part of Manchuria, wasn't it?" Martin asked.

Lin nodded curtly. "Liaoning Province." He gave a slight, apologetic smile at Mai. "It was part of the Japanese Manchukuo occupation, though my family emigrated before the Civil War, before my mother was born."

Under the table, Naru placed his hand on Mai's, leaning closer toward her. "Aren't you glad it's Lin to go through the inquisition, rather than yourself?" He whispered, his voice so soft that she had to strain to hear him over the conversation.

"Yeah," she breathed back, biting her lip as she smiled. "But I'm sure it'll happen eventually." She grinned mischievously. "If we're getting Lin to talk about his past, any chance of getting him to tell us about Tib.. Tib-whatsit, Aahil's previous master?"

"Thibault Bertin," Naru corrected her.

"Okay, Thibault Bertin?" Mai repeated.

"None whatsoever," he whispered back flatly. "Martin knows some of the circumstances, and neither he nor Lin would ever mention it in Luella's presence. Or ours, for that matter."

"How come you know about it and Gene didn't?" Mai asked.

He shrugged. "Lin only told me in detail about the incident several years ago, but only because of direct relevance to a case we were working."

Mai looked at him quizzically. "It was that bad?" She finally whispered. She glanced at Lin out of the corner of her eye, who was holding up his hands in a strange position to illustrate a point. Martin looked fascinated, and even Luella, who Mai knew was less interested in these sorts of things, seemed rather curious. When Naru didn't answer her she looked back at him. "You're not going to tell me, are you?"

Naru lifted his shoulders slightly. "It's not my story to tell, and even I don't know exactly how Aahil plays into it." He gestured back toward the others with a slight tip of his head. "They're bound to notice if we keep whispering like this." His lips curved upwards in a slight smirk. "Gene's already pestering me, asking what we're talking about."

"Sorry," Mai whispered, somewhat abashed, and turned her face forward again, Naru squeezing her fingers once more under the table before releasing her hand.

...

After dinner Mai found herself alone with Luella in the lobby of the restaurant. The man at the coat-check had brought Martin and Lin's coats first, and the two had left to get the car and bring it around to the front so that the others wouldn't have to walk in the cool night air. Mai wouldn't have minded, and Naru and Gene certainly hadn't, as they'd stepped outside as soon as they retrieved their coats. Sarah had followed, and now Mai and Luella waited for their coats alone.

"The crab was delicious, wasn't it?" Luella hummed. "I don't suppose we usually eat very much seafood."

"Yes, truly. Thank you for dinner, it was wonderful," Mai said gratefully. The attendant brought their coats and she took them from the man, thanking him politely.

"My pleasure, my dear," Luella smiled at her warmly, dipping her head as Mai passed her coat to her. She watched Mai as she slid her coat on over her shoulders, catching the glint of metal reflecting the office lights. "Oh, what's this?" She asked, leaning forward to get a closer look, eyes widening slightly as she saw the brooch pinned beneath Mai's collar. "How beautiful," she marveled. "The tree of life, isn't it?"

"Oh, um," Mai said, startled. "Yes, maybe? I guess so."

"What a beautifully crafted piece."

Mai touched the pin lightly with her fingertips, smiling softly. "Thank you."

"It must be very important to you," Luella said softly.

"Yes," Mai murmured, averting her gaze. "Actually, it was Noll who gave it to me," she admitted, purposefully using his English nickname. The pronunciation felt strange on her tongue.

"Oh?" Luella smiled, shaking her head slightly from side to side. "I don't suppose I should be surprised, by anything he does." She patted Mai on the shoulder and the two made their way out of the lobby into the night. "And yet..." she shook her head, her words trailing off. She cleared her throat. "You lived in London when you were young, is that right?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Um, yes," Mai nodded, though hidden in her coat pockets, her hands were clenched tightly into fists. She hated lying. "Only for a little while." _There was absolutely no plausible reason why she should have lived in London as a child. _She forced herself to laugh weakly. "I really don't remember much about it at all."

"Hmm," Luella sighed slightly as they made their way to where Gene, Naru and Sarah were waiting. "I suppose you'll have to visit us," she said, smiling apologetically. "Perhaps over the summer, for school holidays?"

Mai felt a tightness in her chest and blinked away the happy tears that had formed in her eyes at the overwhelming emotion at Luella's simple statement. "I'd love to," she managed, trying to keep her voice even. "Really."

"After all," Luella reasoned as they approached the others, touching Gene's shoulder as she came up to stand beside him. "Gene will have to come home eventually, won't he?"

...

It began to rain shortly after they left the restaurant, the faint drizzle soon turning into a light, persistent rain. In the darkness of the car, the soft pitter-patter of rain on the roof and the rhythmic swaying of the windshield wipers, Mai realized how tired she was as her eyelids grew heavy and nearly impossible to keep open. Martin and Lin, once again in the front seats, carried a quiet conversation while the rest of the occupants in the vehicle were silent. Both Luella and Sarah seemed just as tired as she, Mai thought, vaguely attributing some of their exhaustion to jetlag. The twins, on the other hand, seemed alert, though Gene was quiet in the rear seat, making no effort for conversation as he had in the morning. It was no surprise that Naru was quiet beside her, though he leaned comfortably toward her, his arm resting against hers.

She must have dozed during the ride, as she found herself blinking, slightly disoriented as Lin slowed the car on a dimly-lit street. It took her several moments to realize he'd stopped in front of her apartment.

"Thank you, again, for everything," she said, unclipping her seatbelt. "Dinner was lovely."

"Perhaps you can come for breakfast tomorrow morning?" Luella asked.

"Thank you, I'd love to," Mai said honestly. She smiled as she slid open the door and stepped out of the van, bowing to the family. "Good night, everyone. Thank you again."

"Goodnight, Mai," Luella and Gene said, nearly in unison.

"You're getting wet," Naru said flatly, and Mai flushed.

"See you tomorrow," she said, half-embarrassed and half-amused. She waved as she turned and hurried through the light rain toward the door, grateful for the short awning as she dug her keys from her pocket.

The van pulled away from the street after she'd closed the door behind her, the stillness of her house enveloping her. She turned on the light and slipped off her damp jacket, unraveling her scarf from her neck and removing her shoes.

She'd thought she would have a cup of tea and read, but her exhaustion returned in full force and she abandoned the idea. Shrugging off her sweater, Mai tumbled onto her futon, asleep only moments after her head hit the pillow.

...

_The two boys are laughing, shrieking bundles of joy as they tumble on the floor, and Mai can't help but laugh, too, as she watches them from her perch on the sofa. Lin is doing push-ups and the boys are giggling with delight as they sit and fall over his back, but the man is undeterred. He laughs aloud and pretends to struggle and they enjoy it even more._

"_Fourteen_," the boys chant together, in near perfect unison, the words hiccupped with giggles. "_Fifteen! Sixteen!_"

Somehow she knows they're in his living room—Lin and Sarah's, that is; that they've invited them over for dinner and Sarah is probably pulling her famous homemade pizza from the oven even as the rest of them cause a ruckus in here. Her child and their's, playing together on the carpet, rough-housing with Lin. Her son.

_Wait_, Mai thought suddenly, almost frantically. _Didn't Gene_—_didn't Gene tell me we had a daughter?_

His words seem to echo in her mind and she can't help but close her eyes, straining to remember. _She was a really beautiful girl_. _And brilliant, of course,_ Gene's voice tells her._ As if heaven had taken all the best parts of you and Noll and put them together in a tidy package._

She frowns, shaking herself to clear her mind, and opening her eyes, she forgets again. The smaller of the two children tumbles from the man's shoulders and rolls across the floor to her feet. She scoops him up in her arms, laughing and nuzzling his soft face. Sometimes it strikes her as unbelievable, magical, wonderful—how much love she has for this child. She loves him so much sometimes she thinks her heart will overflow. "_Oliver_," she coos. "_Can you do as many push-ups as Uncle Lin_?"

"_Twenty three_!" Lin's son laughs, as if it's the most hilarious thing that has ever happened. "_Twenty... four_!"

"_No_," Oliver says solemnly. "_I can't_."

She laughs and brushes his ebony hair away from his eyes, dark blue and serious. When she gazes into this child's eyes she thinks she can see the universe reflected in him. "_So serious_," she teases.

"_I'm only telling the truth_," he insists.

"_And I wouldn't have it any other way_," she agrees, kissing his cheek. "_Not yet_." Someday, she knows, he will lie to her, but that day is still far away. Someday, too—he will not let her kiss him, least of all in front of his best friend—but today he does not squirm in her arms. Not today. He simply wipes the skin where her lips had wet him with his sleeve but does not leave the comforting hold of her embrace. Instead, he rests his head against her shoulder, his forehead nestled into her neck. She feels the gentle touch of his nose and his breath against her skin, and can't help but smile. "_You know how I love you, Oliver_," she murmurs. _You know how I cherish you_.

"_I know_," the child affirms quietly, suddenly sleepy despite the commotion in the room.

"_Dinner's ready_," Gene announces behind her, and she realizes he's been watching them from the door all this time. "_You'll have to continue torturing your father later, Wei_."

Wei laughs as his father collapses beneath him, feigning exhaustion, before rolling over and springing lightly to his feet, pulling his son up and swinging him up into the air. Wei shrieks with laughter and delight. "_Again, Daddy, again! Pretty-please?_"

"_Wei Alexander_," his mother calls his full name fondly, and Mai can hear the smile on Sarah's lips without even having to see it. "_Come help me set the table, please?_"

"_Yes Mummy_," Wei agrees, and Lin sets the child back on the solid floor, who scampers toward his mother. "_But only if you throw me up in the air again after dinner, Daddy_!"

"_Promise_," Lin laughs quietly as he follows the child, ruffling his silky black hair with his hand. His one visible eye is shining with happiness and mirth.

Mai turns as she stands, watching him go, her son still in her arms propped against her hip, his head against her shoulder. Wei takes after his father and is tall for his age, a good head taller than Oliver who is his younger by only less than a month.

Lin and Sarah have retreated into the kitchen, their son helping his father set the dinner table as Sarah brings the food. Gene leans in the door frame, watching Mai with an unreadable expression on his face. His arms are crossed across his chest and his head is tilted almost pensively as he gazes at the child in her arms.

He blinks slowly and raises his dark blue eyes to meet hers, and she suddenly knows. _This is a dream. Gene knows it too. Gene's in this dream with me_.

"Gene—" she begins, but the words die in her throat.

As if knowing it is enough to shatter the spell, the house crumbles around her and she is running, chest heaving as she struggles forward despite the burning in her throat and the stitch in her side. "_Naru!_" She cries in panic, knowing with a troubling certainty she must go to him; his life depends on it. "_Where are you_?"

She runs in two places at once. She can _see _the London street, feel the pavement beneath the thin soles of her shoes and smell the rain that has left the concrete damp. She recognizes it easily as the street that would take her from Martin and Luella's house to a nearby park. Yet the image is thin and translucent and she also sees a barren, rocky wasteland, devoid of color as the light from the sun is dimmed by blowing dust that clogs the air. It is this second image that she finds herself falling into, and she coughs as the dust fills her nostrils and chokes her lungs, covering her face in the crook of her arm.

Her legs refuse to take her any further, her struggling suddenly useless even though she strives to run. Finally she collapses to the ground, stinging tears falling from her cheeks that she did not realize she had shed. Above her she can hear the cacophonous sound of an enormous flock of birds, can feel the beating of their wings against the air just above her back. The birds scream to each other above her and she cringes away from the sound, shielding her head with her arms and covering her ears to block the noise.

As quickly as the birds have appeared they disappear again and all is silent. She lifts her head and she sees a figure in front of her. It is a man, kneeling on the ground, his hands covering his face. She assumes he is crying and she crawls toward him. "_Are you all right_?" She asks, wincing as her bare knees are cut on the sharp, angular rocks beneath them. "_Mister_? _Are you_—"

When his hands fall and he turns to face her, she begins to scream.

...

Naru awoke with a start, his brother shaking him roughly. "Noll," he whispered urgently. "_Noll!_"

"What is it?" He managed, blinking blearily and trying to force himself awake and alert.

"It's Mai." Naru could just barely see his brother's outline in the dim room and he could see that he was trembling. "She had a nightmare."

"What—"

Gene shook his head fiercely, his hair falling over his eyes. "I couldn't stop it, Noll—I knew it was coming but I couldn't stop it. You need to go to her. _She needs you now_."

Naru was on his feet in an instant, stumbling slightly as he pulled on a sweater. "Will—"

"_Just go_," Gene insisted, and his brother didn't have to be told a second time. Alone in the room, Gene slumped forward onto his brother's bed, wrapping his arms around himself and squeezing his eyes shut, trying to quell the uneasiness in his heart, trying to forget the sound of Mai's terrified screams.

...

He all but ran down the street, the wind blowing against the umbrella that sheltered him and pelting his exposed legs with raindrops. In his haste he'd forgotten the spare key to Mai's apartment that lived on a hook above the refrigerator, but he knew Mai had hidden one near her front door. Slipping through the gate he approached the house and groped around in the darkness, feeling with his fingers along the painted drain pipe that ran parallel to the roof. When his fingers finally touched something small and metal and he retrieved the key and unlocked the door. Pulling his umbrella closed, he slipped inside.

He could hear her muffled crying and he all but ran to her room. He slid open the door and went quickly to her side, his socks silent against the tatami. "Mai," he whispered as he knelt by her futon, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"Naru—?" she began, allowing him to pull her into his arms. "_Why are you_—?"

It surprised him that she spoke in Japanese, rather than English, but he responded in kind. "Gene told me you had a nightmare," he said quietly in her tongue, holding her tightly.

"I'm scared, Naru," she choked, gripping him tightly. Her body shuddered as she tried to hold in her sobs. "I'm so scared."

"It's all right now," he murmured, stroking her hair. She began to shiver and he pulled the comforter up over both of them. "It's all right, Mai."

"I don't even remember the dream," she finally whispered, closing her eyes tightly. "I don't even know why I'm so frightened."

"You don't need to remember," he told her, stroking her head gently. "You don't need to remember."

...

* * *

_author's notes:_

**A note for my American (English) readers: a little bit of the Queen's English has made its way into these last two chapters due to Martin and Luella's arrival. Biscuits are not biscuits as you imagine (those are scones, sortof, but not exactly.) In these mentions, all biscuits are sweet biscuits, therefore, cookies. They've also said _Ta _a couple times, which if it is not evident, is a casual thank you. I think that's it... but if there's anything else you have questions about, please ask.

**Notes for those in the Commonwealth: I am not a native British English speaker and I would never pretend to understand all its subtleties, also the lines between British English and Australian English are quite fuzzy to me; if you think I've made any astronomical errors in any dialogue please feel free to tell me so I can correct them.

**This "_Tu as une faim de loup, mon petit chou_" Luella says is translated simply as "hungry as a wolf, my darling." Not pertinent, just a bit of an inside joke between the two.

I don't know why but this last mention of edamame at the restaurant made me think of mameshiba. You know what I'm talking about? Anyone?

Eternal gratitude and thanks always to Meepyonnee, for helping me get my words straight, to furiouskittenn, for offering unlimited assistance with the French dialogue, and Ferb O. Oche's lovely and marvelous drawings, which often make me cry a little bit, in a good way.

As always, (and I feel a bit self-conscious for saying this, but,) I love you for your reviews, comments, and feedback. It encourages me beyond belief and more often than not, you help shape the story going forward. (So I beg of you.) I appreciate hearing your thoughts, corrections, speculations, everything, please and thank you.

I probably (definitely) won't update in December so stay safe and comfortable, whether hot or cold, hell or highwaters and we'll meet again in the New Year! Best wishes and good tidings and all of those things.

-abbq


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